Slayers of the Old Republic Book VI: Manaan
by Michael Weyer
Summary: On a watery world, the crew encounter danger in the depths. Meanwhile, Buffy and Faith finally find some romance in this galaxy. Xover with Star Wars: KOTOR. All comments welcomed.
1. Chapter 1

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

**Sorry for the long delay between chapters, got distracted by other fics. Here we go with a book that involves a bit more character interaction. Enjoy. **

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been over a week since the _Ebon Hawk_ had left Tatooine. For the most part, the crew went about their normal duties, with three notable exceptions. First, Canderous had spent most of his time in his quarters, only coming out for the odd repair job and not very talkative. Second, Mission had managed to rebound from the pain of what happened with Griff nicely. She'd been quite talkative, getting along better with both Buffy and Faith.

The third, of course, were the gizka who kept hopping around and chirping all the while. They were a nuisance, no doubt, but the crew was trying their best to live with them, ignoring HK's continual inventive suggestions on how to deal with them.

"Statement: Master, I assure you, they will not suffer! I will snap their necks before I eject them out the airlock."

"For the tenth time today, HK, no!" Buffy snapped. She, Vance, Bastila, Jolee, Faith and Juhani were sitting in the galley, having some lunch. HK was in the corner, his photo-receptors fixed on the table.

Faith lightly kicked one gizka off her shoe. "I don't know, B. I'm starting to think Robonut here has the right idea."

"Statement: Thank you for the support, meatbag!"

"Okay, what's with the 'meatbag' references?" Vance finally barked out. "It's been driving me crazy ever since we bought you!"

"Explanation: Sorry, master. It appears that there is a subroutine in my programming that sees 'meatbag' as a proper metaphoric name for organic beings."

"Why?"

"Query: Is that not good for you, Master? It's just that…you have all these squishy parts. And all that water! How the constant sloshing doesn't drive you mad, I have no idea…"

"Neither do I, come to think of it," Buffy muttered.

"Statement: It is design flaws like that that make me proud to state I am not a meatbag, Master. No offense."

"None taken," Buffy said. She made a soft smile. "Sometimes, I almost envy droids."

"Agreement: Yes, we are amazing creatures, are we not, Master?" At his side, T3 let out a loud beep. He and HK had mostly avoided each other as it appeared there some sort of rivalry between them. Faith had remarked that T3's comments were shots at HK's construction and programming which the droid took in his own unique way.

"Been too long since I worked with droids," Jolee remarked. "I forgot how unique their personalities could be." He sipped his drink. "I have to say, it's been pretty good finally getting off planet and into the stars again. It's tough to keep yourself occupied all day in a forest."

Juhani chewed on her food as she took in his words. "I know that feeling, Jolee. My world…" She paused before continuing. "My parents rarely spoke of it. We were treated as slaves, as beasts, especially by the Mandalorians. We…were about to be sold when the Jedi came to our world." She paused and looked up at Buffy and Vance. "Revan was leading them."

"Revan?" Buffy said with surprise.

Juhani nodded. "The Jedi freed me from what would have been a terrible life – a slave's life. When I looked into the eyes of their leader, it was as if I had seen my own future. And it was so beautiful." She smiled wistfully. "I remember wondering if he were a god, a vision, and not flesh and blood." She sheepishly looked to the floor. "But he was...because he is gone now, fallen in battle."

Buffy sniffed. "After he caused galaxy wide death and destruction. I hate to say it but I have to say the Council did a good job trying to pull him in. One way I put faith in them."

Juhani shrugged. "My faith in them...How to explain my faith in the Council? Well, they are not infallible. Had Revan not rebelled, I would have been among those crushed to death on Taris - if I had survived so long. Yet, I know I am young, and foolish. They have seen - and made - much history. I would trust them as you would a...commanding officer or beloved teacher."

Buffy nodded. "I guess I get what you're saying. It sounds like-------"

"FAITH!" They all jumped a bit as Bastila burst into the galley, her face tight. She held a lightsaber up in her hands. "What is the meaning of this!" she hissed.

"Hey, what are you doing in my room?" Faith shot back as she rose to her feet, her leather pants and dark shirt shifting easily on her body.

"It is good I was there!" Bastila snapped as she hefted the lightsaber. "Where did this come from?"

Buffy coughed. "I, ah, took it off one of those Sith back on Tatooine."

"And you gave it to…her?" Bastila stared at her apprentice.

"Well…I thought it might be good for her to have it!" Buffy defended herself.

"Why!"

"She's got good blade skills," Buffy pointed out. "I thought it might be good for her to have a lightsaber, increase her chances in a fight. If we run into more Sith, a lightsaber's a better weapon than a vibroblade."

Bastila shook her head. "Buffy…only Jedi are permitted to use these?"

"Oh, really? I don't recall you needing a permit for those things!"

Bastila gripped the lightsaber. "I will not permit her to have this. It is not right, it is not proper, it is not safe, we cannot------"

The lightsaber flew out of her hands, across the table and into Jolee's palm. The elderly Jedi had a solemn look on his face as he handed it to Faith. "Here. Some people should have better respect for privacy."

Bastila gaped at him. "Jolee…"

He fixed her with a hard glare. "She wants to try and learn to use it, fine. They're not exclusive for Force-users only and Buffy can teach her if she needs more experience."

Bastila fumed and pointed out toward the corridor. Jolee didn't seem that concerned as he stood up and followed her out. The two Slayers exchanged confused glances but then shrugged.

Faith thumbed the trigger and the crimson blade shot out. "Hmm…nice color."

Buffy frowned. "You might want to use a different crystal. Red is a Sith color. It's…trust me, it's not something you want to use a lot."

"I don't know, B…"

"Think about it this way," Vance interjected. "You can make it your own style. I think you'd like that."

Faith smirked. "Wow, he knows me." She winked at Buffy. "Gets it from you, huh, B?"

The two Jedi looked at each other, then looked away as Faith chuckled knowingly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As soon as she was sure they were out of earshot, Bastila whirled on Jolee and hissed. "What are you doing?"

The elderly Jedi had his arms crossed and appeared quite calm. "Just trying to help a girl out."

Bastila shook her head. "You cannot simply hand a lightsaber over to a non-Jedi like that!"

"Why not? Nothing in the Code to prevent it."

"The Council…"

"The Council?" Jolee's face darkened. "Bastila…After what they did, I don't think the Council has the right to make moral judgments on anyone."

She looked away. "That is not relevant."

"Yes, it is. Bastila, this can't be hidden forever, you have to know that. It's going to come out and when it does…" He shook his head. "Buffy and Vance are never going to be the same."

"Which is why I am attempting to ensure they do not get any closer," Bastila stated. "I am grateful there is still the bond. It is alerting me to their growing feelings for one another."

Jolee stared at her for a long moment then threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. He actually wiped at his eyes as he tried to compose himself. "Woman, you don't need a bond to tell that. You just need eyes. You can't stop them from feeling what they're feeling."

"I can damned well try," Bastila snapped. "You know what a disaster that could be! If they….if they…."

"If they do…" Jolee stated. "It may be what's meant to happen. The Force is a strange thing, Bastila, you know that. You know you can't always control destiny or your place in it."

Bastila rolled her eyes. "Not another one of your little tales, Jolee. What is this time? Another Padawan who quit the Academy because of a near-sighted teacher? Another Jedi who fell into a smuggling ship's power core and destroyed it?"

Jolee shook his head. "Nope. But there's something about those two, Bastila. There's a reason Faith is here with Buffy at this place and time. Maybe it's to help her when the truth comes out. Either way, I think letting her train as she wants may end up being a good idea."

Bastila stared at him and sighed. "This…this should never have been this way."

Jolee smiled thinly. "That's the way the universe works, Bastila. It can't be controlled or ordained. Not even by the Jedi."

She took that in and then licked her lips. "I have been meaning to ask you something…"

He laughed and shook his head at her. "Yep, I figured as much. It was only a matter of time until we had the whole 'come back to the Order' discussion," he shrugged. "Well, no avoiding it now. You might as well get it over with."

"I know you have...issues...with the Order," Bastila diplomatically said. "But you are a Jedi, Jolee. You command the Force. Without the guidance of the Council, how can you avoid falling to the Dark Side?"

"Well, I've managed to avoid it the last twenty-odd years. Besides, Dark Side, Light Side: they don't mean the same thing to you as they do to me. I don't see in absolutes."

"So, you don't have a problem with Malak? Or the Sith?" Bastila crossed her arms and scowled.

"I'd like to stop Malak as much as anyone, and know too well what Sith are capable of. But I don't have to join the Order to do it. Look at Carth or Canderous or Faith...even Mission. They're with us on this quest, but they aren't Jedi."

"They've less to lose," she said.

"Really? I'm sure they'd disagree with you on that." He folded his arms. "The capacity for good and evil, like the Force itself, is in all living creatures. Belonging to the Jedi, the Sith, or any other group won't change that."

"Oh, really. This coming from someone..." her voice trailed off.

Jolee nodded. "Not saying people can't change, but it takes a lot. And it can't be through codes, Councils, or any outside source. Those can trigger it, but it has to come from within yourself."

Bastila sighed and rubbed her chin. "I can see you are quite adamant. No doubt you've had ample time to think of this during your long seclusion. I guess it was foolish of me to think I could sway your position..."

"Yeah, I'm old and stubborn. But I appreciate the effort. Just think of me as any other non-Jedi in this group. I just...use a lightsaber and Force powers..."

Bastila smirked at that. "Now, who's the one lying to himself?"

Jolee just humphed before walking away, leaving Bastila with the triumphant feeling of finally getting the last word with him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As Buffy entered the mechanic bay, she was surprised to see Canderous working at a bench on his gun. "Hey. Finally stepped out of the cave, huh?"

Canderous nodded. "I just felt like getting some work done."

Buffy leaned on the doorway as she watched him. "Are you okay? Faith told me it was rough."

Canderous welded a piece to his rifle barrel as he spoke. "It's ironic, in a way. I spent years after the war missing the comradery, the honor, even the companionship of other Mandalorians. And the first one I met tries to kill me."

Buffy took that in. "I….ah…can't say I fully understand what you're feeling. I do have to admit that I've had to fight people I didn't want to. I've had to fight friends…and more." She rubbed her temples. "Look, Canderous…I need to know if you're still going to be able to handle this mission. If you want to go your own way, I understand. But…we need every person here willing to help in every way. Can you do that?"

Canderous locked his rifle in place and turned to her. His features were strong and calm as he answered. "The time of the clans is done. My people…I don't know what is next for them. For myself…" He nodded to her. "I see you as someone worth following, the same as this quest. I will be with you for as long as you want me."

Buffy smiled. "Thanks, Can," she softly said. "I mean that." She paused before trying to speak in a more light-hearted tone. "So…if you're feeling better, maybe you're up for some sparring with me and Faith?"

Canderous actually smiled. "Why not? I can teach you two a few new moves."

Buffy smirked as they headed out. "Oh, no, no, no. We shall be the teachers today, war dog."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Vance entered the flight deck of the ship and saw Carth at the controls. "How far are we from Maanan?" he asked as he sat in a neighboring chair.

"About an hour," the Republic pilot answered. "We should be better off there. The Selkath protect their neutrality quite well."

"For now," Vance stated. "They won't be able to play with the Sith too much."

"True," Carth noted. "Hopefully, we'll have an easier time finding the map here."

Vance sat back and tapped his foot on the console. "So…I've noticed you haven't exactly been trusting of us."

Carth shot a glance at him. "Are you reading my mind?"

Vance shook his head quickly. "I don't do that. No, I'm just able to read people well. Enough to know you don't trust us."

Carth checked his readouts. "I just…I get the feeling there's more to all this than Bastila is saying."

"Really?" Vance raised an eyebrow. "Funny…I was going to say the same thing."

Carth was surprised. "You…you were?"

Vance nodded. "She definitely knows something more than she's telling. It's small but there's always some sort of tension whenever Revan and Malak are brought up or she's pushed on details. I…I just feel like there's something she's hiding from all of us and I don't like being kept in the dark about it."

Carth rubbed his chin. "Have you discussed this with Buffy?"

Vance shook his head. "No. She's been with Bastila a lot longer, she won't listen to me over her, I know that."

Carth studied him. "You care for her, don't you? And I don't mean in a friendly way either."

Vance looked up at him. "I could ask the same about you and Faith. You two have been working together closely."

"I've been teaching her how to fly," Carth quickly said. "She might make a good pilot."

Vance smirked. "Come on, Carth. I've seen the way you look at her. Not just lust, either. She means something to you."

"Maybe," Carth allowed. He shook his head. "It's just…it's been a long time and…"

Vance leaned in. "Carth…somehow, I don't think your wife would want you to keep mourning her forever. She'd want you to move on. Maybe it's time you listened to that."

Carth tapped his fingers on the armrest. "Maybe," he softly said. He glanced up at Vance. "What about you? From what I can tell, you've got rules preventing you from moving on."

Vance smirked. "Rules and me are like this." He held up a hand with forefinger and thumb spread wide apart. As Carth chuckled, Vance went on. "From what I've heard, Jolee understand a lot about love for a Jedi. Maybe…just maybe we can work something out."

Carth pursed his lips. "We'll have to be careful, no doubt about it."

"Why?" Vance asked in confusion.

Carth half-smiled. "Because we're dealing with two women who will literally break us in half if things go wrong."

The two laughed as the ship headed to the blue orb awaiting them.


	2. Chapter 2

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Maanan

By Michael Weyer

From above, Maanan looked like a blue marble, almost no clouds or land masses at all. As the _Ebon Hawk_ entered its atmosphere, Mission and Zaalbar took it in at the flight deck. "Wow," Mission said. "After that desert place, this is downright perfect!"

"Maanan has that way," Carth remarked from the pilot's seat. "It's almost completely water, only a couple of cities and they're more for visitors than the Selkath."

_"What of the Sith?"_ Zaalbar rumbled. _"Will we not have to worry about them?"_

Carth shook his head. "Maanan is neutral in the war. They're the only source of kolto. That's the major ingredient in bacta, the best healing agent around. Both sides want it and the Selkath maintain control and sell to both of them."

"So both Republic and Sith are in this city?" Mission was surprised.

Carth nodded as they flew toward the large center. "Yep, complete with embassies. We'll see more once we land. Tell the others to get ready."

Ahto City was a sprawling mass of metal in the otherwise pristine blue water surface of the planet. It was shaped like a large starfish with various branches spreading from a center base. Carth piloted the ship to a docking bay at the west end and set it down. He powered it down and exited to the main center of the ship where the others had gathered. He saw Buffy, Vance and Bastila all a bit thrown. "Another vision?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Some sort of underwater platform."

Faith snorted. "Great. The whole damn planet is underwater! They couldn't put up signs in these things?"

Carth checked his guns. "We're going to have to watch it here. The Selkath are really strict about containing violence and acting violently at the slightest provocation is going to get us all in trouble.

There was a pause.

"Query: Why are all of you meatbags looking at me?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The group exited the ship and headed to the large doorway leading to the main city. As they approached, they saw two soldiers arguing, one Republic, one Sith.

"You Republic people are so pathetic, sitting around and groveling at the table scraps the galactic senators deign to give you. It makes me sick."

"The senators work for the good of the whole galaxy," the other soldier argued. "Not for individual gain."

"Ha! Don't make me laugh, you gutless simp! It's the destiny of weak-minded fools like you to be ruled over by the strong, like we Sith."

Raising his fist, the Republic soldier pulled it back and made ready to remove a few teeth from his adversary. "I'm warning you, don't push me, or you'll get just what you're asking for!"

The Sith laughed again. "Try it. Just try it. I'd love to see you throw the first punch. With all the cameras around, the Selkath would be all over you in seconds. You break their laws, you pay the price, Republic scum."

The Republic soldier slowly lowered his fist, huffing with obvious frustration. Chuckling, his offender continued. "Besides, I can see you aren't man enough to back up your words anyway. If you ever feel like relieving yourself of your worthless existence, come by the Sith enclave here. We've many ways to fulfill your wish." Smirking, he turned away and vanished into the crowded port, headed for the east side.

Swearing in anger, the soldier turned and did not watch where he was going. Unfortunately, Vance wasn't able to dodge him in time, and the two fell to the floor.

"Hey watch -" He silenced himself when he saw Vance's lightsaber. He didn't move until Carth offered him a hand. "Get up, soldier," he said.

Carth helped pull him to his feet. The soldier brushed off his uniform and got a look at the full party. "I'm...I'm sorry, sir," he said to Carth. He then nodded to Vance. "And an apology to you, Jedi. I should have watched where I was going."

"Why do the Sith upset you so much?" Buffy asked. "Why was he trying to start a fight?"

The soldier scowled. "These damn Sith are everywhere on Manaan, pushing us Republic soldiers around and trying to goad us into breaking the law somewhere."

"So, the Sith and the Republic co-exist here peacefully?"

"Peacefully?" The soldier chortled. "Not hardly. Just look in their eyes. You can see they'd like nothing more than to kill each and every one of us, personal-like. The smug Hutt-spawn try to push us every chance they get and enjoy it!" He threw up his hands in frustration, letting out a sigh. "There's nothing we can do, though. The Selkath want to maintain their neutrality, and they enforce it very strictly. So, we've got to sit here and let them insult us and we can't raise a hand against them. If we do, the Republic faces severe kolto export restrictions, and that could lose us the war altogether."

"Why would the Sith be here, though?" Vance asked. "Why would they not just conquer? What you describe doesn't seem to be their style."

"The Selkath think that by staying neutral they can play both sides, selling kolto to everyone that needs is and making themselves too valuable to be worth conquering." He dropped his voice. "Well, that, and they threatened to destroy the only natural source of kolto on the planet if anyone attacks them. But I think they're underestimating the lengths the Sith will go to get what they want...they're probably planning something already."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Jolee interjected. "Now, you get going to where you need to go, sonny, and try not to lose your temper on the way."

"Of course," he said. "If you've any other questions, you should probably go see Roland Wann. He's the Republic diplomat here. The embassy is on the map they give at the Docking Authority. Have a pleasant stay."

They had been requested to show up with the full party at the docking authority office. They duly disembarked and went there. The fish-like Selkath were bipedal, but their feet were broad and thin, adapted for use as flippers in the oceans. Their skins were dappled gray and green, glistening like they were wet. Their eyes were on the sides of their (seemingly) oversized heads.

Fitting the droids with a translator chip and the organic beings with earpieces, the sibilant and slurring language of the Selkath could now be fully understood. It still came out as unnerving as a nail on slate.

_"Welcome to Manaan," _said the port authority representative, reciting a speech he had no doubt memorized long ago. _"While you are here, I trust you will follow all the rules governing to activities of off-worlders."_

"Which are?" Bastila.

_"The single most important law on Manaan is very simple. Kolto smuggling is punishable by death. If you are carrying unprocessed kolto, you had better have a permit. The other rule is also very simple - keep the peace. We Selkath do not believe violence is a solution at all. It is the province of ill-mannered children and barbarian off-worlders. Here on Manaan, we maintain careful neutrality, and we react rather harshly to people who jeopardize that status. Any confrontations between the Sith and Republic are dealt with swiftly and decisively. Is this understood?"_

Mission nodded. "Kolto smuggling, bad thing. Check. Starting fights, bad thing. Check."

"Is that the only law you have, fish-head?" Canderous demonstrated his utter lack of diplomacy once more.

The alien glared at him but continued in a calm tone. "_I would remind you that you are guests of the Selkath - not the other way around. We also have laws against murder, theft, and other crimes. But those laws are hardly different than those of most other planets. Manaan's neutrality is closely linked to our kolto production. This is why I made special mention of the above two laws."_

"We understand," said Bastila. "Thank you."

_"The Manaan board of trade and tourism thanks you, off-worlder,_" he said brusquely._ "Here is a visitor guide and map to the city. Refer to it should you have any questions."_

Faith took it and thumbed through it. "Great. Travel to a completely different galaxy and we're still getting tourist traps."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ahto City was striking in its design. There was no unnecessary ormantation, no waste or refuse, the walls and floors were strikingly clean and white. Various beings walked around, along with many Selkath. As the team came up to a small kiosk, a Selkath raised its head.

_"Greetings, off-worlders. Might I inquire if you possess any unique alien species? Preferably small ones?"_

"Why do you ask?" Vance replied.

_"I am Nubassa, a representative of the chamber of commerce. We are seeking to establish a zoo here at Ahto City to increase tourism. Not just with off-worlders but also with the native population, to allow them the chance to see creatures they otherwise would not be able to experience."_

Zaalbar's eyes narrowed and he growled. _"You wish to imprison innocent beings?"_

The Selkath quickly shook his head, the tendrils at his mouth shaking. "_Oh, I can assure you, we treat them with the utmost care and respect! Because of space restrictions, we are not seeking large or vicious animals or the more sentient. Some smaller creatures, however, are perfect for our needs."_

A light bulb went on over Buffy's head. "Actually," she said. "We have a whole ship full of gizka. Maybe that can work for you?"

_"Gizka…_" Nubassa scratched his head. _"Hmmm…they are a somewhat common species…"_

Buffy waved her hand. "It can work for your needs."

_"But it can work for our needs,"_ the Selkath stated. _"Yes, those are relatively easy to care for. Very well, off-worlder, I shall take them off your hands. What price are you charging for it?"_

Faith laughed. "Are you kidding? Pal, we should be paying you for getting them off the ship!"

Bastila turned to Mission. "Mission, why don't you and Zaalbar take Nubassa to the ship and help him with transporting the gizka?"

"With pleasure!" the Twi'lek said as she, the Wookie and the Selkath marched off.

Bastila turned toward Buffy, her eyes narrowed. "Normally, I'd be quite annoyed with you using the Force like that," she began in a stern tone. Then her lips turned upward. "But after the 'present' a couple of those creatures left in my shoe, I more than understand."

"Ah, I knew I'd corrupt you someday," Buffy beamed as the group headed off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Due to the size of the city, the group believed splitting up was a good bet. The Jedi headed toward the Republic embassy while Canderous decided to check out the local cantina with the aid of the droids. That left Carth, Jolee and Faith to wander around the market district.

Faith breathed in the salty air. "Hmmm. Wonder if I've got time to rent a boat and try out my bikini."

Carth smiled. "I think the Selkath have some laws against that sort of thing. They have a hard enough time regulating air traffic, let alone boats."

"Too bad," Faith said, throwing a leer at Carth. "Might have to settle for a skinny-dip at the local hotel."

Jolee chuckled at the red on Carth's face. "Ah, young ones," he said in his gravely tone. "Always so eager…you really need to slow down a bit more."

Faith sniffed. "You only live once, Jolee." She paused. "Actually, where I came from, that's a point open to debate…"

"Jolee? Jolee, is that you?" The three paused at the entrance to a café and turned to see a woman striding toward them. She was a few years younger than Jolee, light-skinned with dark hair, still quite attractive despite a few lines on her face.

Jolee was surprised but also pleased to see her. "Elora…Of all the…! How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't!" she laughed as she moved in to embrace him. "Oh, this is so wonderful! It's been far too long."

"It has indeed," Jolee said, beaming wide. "How is Sunry?"

"He's well," the woman answered. "In fact, I was just about to meet him for lunch. Please come with, he'll be so happy to see you again!"

Jolee chuckled. "My dear, I wouldn't miss it." He followed her along with Carth and Faith trailing behind. They entered a small café where an elderly white-haired man sat at a table. He wore a dark Republic uniform, the type used by veterans with some medals on the front of his shirt. Faith noted the way one leg stretched out and the cane sitting beside him.

"Sunry!" Elora called out. "Look who I ran into!"

The man looked at Jolee and his eyes widened. "Well, I'll be…Jolee Bindo!" He reached for his cane, using it to straighten up to his full height. "You old Jedi dog, I haven't seen you in…oh, must be over twenty years! Where have you been?"

Jolee smiled back as he and Sunry exchanged a long and strong handshake. "Ah, the ship I was flying decided to make a crash landing on Kashyyk. Took a while to hitch the right ride off it."

"Kashyyk, eh?" Sunry rubbed his chin and raised an eyebrow. "You know, I just read some intelligence reports about Czerka facing a Wookie uprising there. I don't suppose you'd know anything about that?"

Jolee made a picture of innocence that caused both Sunry and Elora to laugh. "I should have known," Sunry continued. "Same old Jolee, always fighting for the underdogs."

"I had help that last time," the Jedi pointed out. He turned to motion to Faith and Carth. "This is Faith and that's Carth Onasi."

"Onasi?" Sunry looked impressed. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Same here," Carth said. "You were mentioned at the Academy in the Exar Kun wars."

Sunry waved his hand. "That was a very, very long time ago, young man. That really paled next to the Mandalorians." He winced. "Mind if we sit? The old leg isn't as good as it used to be. Seems an old war wound decided to bite me big time a few years back."

They sat and Faith regarded the two carefully. "I'm kind of surprised. Jolee hasn't really mentioned having any real friends."

The black man sniffed. "I wasn't always the ancient crumgedeon you see before you, girl."

"That's true," Sunry said with a wide smile. "When we knew each other, he actually had hair. But he was a crumgedeon then too."

Jolee laughed. "So you're still with the army?"

"Not front lines, of course," Sunry said with regret in his voice. "I've got a position at the Embassy here, handling office and paperwork and handle things with the Selkath."

"An office job, eh?" Jolee's tone was solemn. "Never pictured you there."

Sunry tried to shrug it off. "We can't all be ready to fight in our age, Jolee." He looked to Carth. "Something for you to keep in mind, Onasi. Sometimes, dying in your prime doesn't sound like a bad way to go."

"I'd argue that," Faith said in a cool tone.

Elora interjected herself. "Now, Sunry, don't start talking like that." She looked to the others. "He has some rough days."

Sunry smiled. "You're right. This should be a happier occasion. Let's have a nice lunch together."

"Sure thing," Faith said, leaning back. "I've been looking to get some dirt on Jolee ever since we met him."

"In that case, you've come to the right people," Sunry laughed back as Jolee rolled his eyes.

Across the street from the café, a figure in a Sith uniform watched the five talk and reached into his communicator. Dialing a specially coded number, he spoke quickly. "This is Agent 1136. I have spotted three of the members of the party we were instructed to look out for. Yes, it is confirmed, they are here. Inform Lord Bandon that the Jedi are ready to be taken." He signed off and walked away, melting into the crowds.


	3. Chapter 3

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

The Republic Embassy was a large building set on the east side of the City. It was easy enough to find. A tall spire with doors guarded by Republic soldiers, and festooned with banners bearing the Republic seal. The guard at the door was a fresh-faced midshipman who took his job very seriously, taking retinal scans of all of them and inspecting their ID for any indications of tampering or counterfeit. Bastila's name-dropping of the Jedi Council and the presence of their lightsabers prompted the young guard to call directly to the office of the head diplomat and usher them to his office.

As much as Buffy had grumbled, Bastila had insisted they wear the traditional Jedi robes. With the planet officially neutral, there was no reason to hide what they were. However, Buffy wasn't happy finding herself back in traditional garb. "No wonder Juhani decided to track down Canderous," she remarked as she brushed the hood back.

"I think it had more to do with us realizing we sent a Mandalorian and an assassin droid into a city without supervision," Vance noted dryly.

Bastila gave them a look. "Both of you please let me do the talking. We should at least give the appearance we are professionals."

Buffy made a show of mock horror. "And ruin my rep?" Vance's smile just seemed to annoy Bastila further as they headed to the office.

The Head Diplomat for the Manaan Republic Embassy was Roland Wann, a thin, dark-skinned human who had been prematurely aged by the job and had all the unfortunate glibness of a career politician.

"Welcome to the Republic Embassy. As the official representative to this planet, I am here to help all citizens of the Republic should they require aid. If you've come seeking information on Ahto City itself, I regret that there is little I can tell you that is not in the visitor's guide. My duties rarely permit me to venture beyond the wall of the Republic Embassy." He steepled his fingers as he looked at them. "Remember, within the city itself, the Selkath have absolute authority. They're a tough race, but fair. Obey the Selkath laws, keep the peace, and you should encounter no problems."

"Actually, we are here on a mission from the Jedi Council, perhaps you can help us with it," Bastila said.

Wann seemed thrown for a bit before relaxing. "Oh, of course, of course. I will do whatever I can, but I'm only a diplomatic representative of the Republic I doubt I can be of any use to the Jedi Council."

"Perhaps you can," Bastila said. "We seek a Star Map, an artifact of an ancient and forgotten race. We...we've heard rumors that it may be on Manaan."

Wann stroked his chin, speaking slowly and trying to hide his reactions. "An ancient and forgotten race, and you think it might be here on Manaan. Hmmm..."

"Wann, we've really gotten tired of cryptic statements from people," Buffy interjected. "So if you know something for sure, do us a favor and spill it."

"Well, perhaps," Wann began. "But if you want to get information about that, you'll have to do something for me first."

"Here we go, same old song, same old dance," Buffy muttered.

"What is it you require?" Bastila asked.

"We were using a submersible reconnaissance droid in the ocean surrounding Ahto City, and it was damaged," Wann replied. "It took a data recording of the outside of the city before the firaxan sharks drove it off. But while it was returning to the surface, it encountered difficulties and was disabled. Its automatic systems floated it to the surface but we couldn't retrieve it in time. The Sith were applying subtle pressure to the Selkath government for reasons we haven't determined and were able to delay us long enough that they were able to retrieve the droid before we did. That was 12 hours ago."

"I see," said Bastila. "So time would be of the essence."

"The droid's data centers are heavily encrypted, so it will take the Sith several days, we believe, to retrieve the data. It's imperative that we get it back!"

"Where do you believe the Sith have hidden it?" Buffy asked. "And I'm assuming it is under heavy guard."

"It is in the Sith Embassy here on Manaan, we are certain. Since we've no remaining soldiers to spare, and certainly not our elite ones, we have no one capable of entering the Sith base to retrieve it. This is what we'd ask you to do."

"We can't just...just break in," Bastila protested.

"We can't?" Buffy asked, seemingly honestly confused. "We've done it before!"

Bastila shot her with a glare before looking back to Wann. "It would cause a massive diplomatic incident. Such an act would not go unnoticed by either the Sith or the Selkath."

"But, if the Sith are able to use that droid to their advantage, Bastila, imagine the further harm they will do with it," Vance reminded her. "Republic access codes, droid protocols...it will put many lives at risk."

Bastila pursed her lips. "I suppose you are correct," she remarked. She nodded to Wann. "We shall do our best to find this data."

"Thank you," Wann said with a smile. "I promise I will have the information you seek when you return.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Once…just once, it'd be nice if people could just give us what we want when we ask," Buffy complained as the three headed out of the embassy. "Is that too much to hope for, really?"

The trio saw Juhani, Canderous and the droids waiting before them. "Oh, great, who'd he kill?" Vance asked.

"Statement: Regretfully, Master, I was prevented from causing mayhem among the mercenaries."

Bastila raised an eyebrow. "Mercenaries?"

"It seemed that the bar we went to was full of them," Juhani answered. "I suppose they are taking advantage of the no-violence laws to do business."

Canderous looked to the embassy, then at the Jedi. "Tell me…did the commander there give any idea as to why the Republic is hiring mercenaries?"

Bastila was thrown. "Mercenaries? Are you certain?"

The Mandalorian nodded. "I overheard them talking. It seems the Republic is paying top dollar for some kind of secret mission. The problem is, it seems none of these mercs are coming back."

Vance sighed. "Great, just what we needed, another complication."

"It is our lot in life," Buffy sadly agreed.

"There is something else," Juhani stated.

"Well, of course there is," Buffy exclaimed. "There has to be."

"I spoke to a Selkath at the cantina," Juhani explained. "Shaleas was his name. He told me that a number of Selkath youth have gone missing as of late. He suspects the Sith may be tied into their disappearance but has been unable to get the authorities to listen."

"So you told him we would," Bastila intoned in a sever tone.

Juhani matched her gaze. "I thought that was our mission, to aid in ways like this. If the Sith are influencing the Selkath somehow, that could jeopardize the kolto trade."

"Opinon: The feline metabag is correct, Master. Control of kolto can shift the balance of power to the Sith."

Buffy was surprised. "Wow. I had no idea you were so far-thinking, HK."

"Statement: I do my best to appreciate effects of actions, Master and take them into account for my programmed assignments."

"And you care about the Republic?"

"Statement: Not one bit, Master. But you do and so I must suffer the foolish burden."

Buffy rubbed her temples. "I really wish you were capable of being strangled sometimes."

"Admission: Many have made that assessment, Master."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So," Jolee was continuing. "This raider chief is holding Andor up by the throat and the guy keeps thinking his destiny is going to protect him. Finally, Kraat has enough of Andor and tosses him aside into this giant energy intake shaft. Andor gets sucked in and starts bouncing around, heh, screaming, hehe. Maybe Andor hit something sensitive on the way down or just didn't agree with the reactor core, next thing I know, all the ship's alarms are ringing." Jolee said cheerfully.

"Oh, you're kidding me, right?" Faith asked. She, Carth, Sunry and Elora were at the table, listening to Jolee's story of a young Jedi he'd once known.

"Everyone panics and I run, barely making it to the ship in time before the explosion. Kraat dies horribly, and the Dimeans never quite recovered. Changed the political course of the entire sector for centuries to come. I'd call that quite a destiny." Jolee noted brightly. "The chances may not be great, but hey - when one has the opportunity to see something like that twice in a lifetime…"

Sunry chuckled. "Only you, Jolee." He glanced at his watch and sighed. "Well, it was terrific seeing you again and I wish I could stay longer but duty calls." He sniffed. "What you can call duty, that is."

"Sunry, it's a sign of respect," Elora said in a calm tone. "Don't think of it as punishment."

Sunry sighed. "I know…I know…I'm sorry. By the way, I'm going to be working late on some reports on a Sith investigation so I won't be home for dinner."

"That's all right," Elora smiled. "Maybe Jolee and I can talk more."

"I hope we can," the elder Jedi said. "It was good seeing you again, old friend."

"You too, Jolee," Sunry smiled as he began to limp away. Jolee watched him go and turned to Elora, with a solemn expression. "He's not happy, is he?"

The woman sighed and shook her head. "He…he always loved being a soldier, Jolee, you know that. Oh, he's not as bad most days but…he thinks of his position as a punishment now." She wiped her face. "But I think seeing you may make him feel a bit better."

Jolee smiled. "I hope so. My friends and I have to go and check in with the rest of our crew but I will take you up on your offer for dinner."

She smiled. "Thank you, Jolee." She paused and then kissed him on the cheek before walking off, Jolee watching her with a smile.

"Damn, who knew you had someone who could make you that happy?" Faith asked as she and Carth rose to their feet.

Jolee sniffed. "Well, after twenty years in a forest, any old face looks good."

Faith smirked. "Sure it's not more than that?"

Jolee grunted. "Watch where you speak, girl."

"Ah, ah, not gonna pull the senior citizen act on me now, Chrome," Faith said as they headed out of the café. "I want details on how well you know these two."

"Not going to get them."

"Come on. Why not?"

"I'm old, I've earned the right to be close-mouthed when I want to be. You'll learn that in a few decades."

"Doubtful."

Carth was following when he spotted someone near a bar, a man in the outfit of a pilot. He stopped and stared at him, then to the other two. "You two go on ahead. I'll catch up."

"Something wrong?" Faith asked.

Carth shook his head. "Not at all. Just like Jolee, I think I saw an old buddy to connect to." He headed in the direction of a local tavern as the other two moved back toward the dock area.

Carth entered the small bar, looking around until he saw the figure nearby. "Jordo! That you?"

The man turned and started in surprise. "Carth! I don't believe it!" The two went in and shook hands. "Damn, I haven't seen you in years! Not since…" His voice trailed off as his face grew sober.

"Telos, I know," Carth said in the same solemn tone. "Yeah, I know. I heard you left the Republic after that."

Jordo nodded. "I did. After what happened…I just couldn't keep fighting anymore. All that death…I got the family away, got a job working for a supply ship. Pay's good, work's not hard and I know it may sound cowardly…"

"Not at all," Carth cut him off. "You're not the only one who felt that way. I'm here on Republic business actually."

"But you can't talk about it, right?" Jordo smiled. "I saw you around with those Jedi. I'm sure you're still fighting the good fight."

"I try," Carth said. "Sorry if I'm bothering, I just saw you and wanted to touch base."

"No problem at all," Dustil said. He looked down. "I…never got to say how sorry I was about Morgana." He looked up and tried to smile. "But hey, at least your boy made it through all right."

Carth's mind couldn't comprehend what he'd just heard. "Wh…what?" he stammered.

"Your son. Dustil." Jordo frowned. "You haven't heard from him? I saw him at my last stop, on Korriban. He didn't recognize me, though. You...you didn't know he was there?"

"No! Jordo, Dustil went missing during the attack on Telos, and..." He grabbed Jordo's shoulders. "Are you sure it's him? Absolutely sure?"

"I'd recognize Dustil anywhere. Positive!" Jordo's voice dropped and he shifted nervously. "He...he's...joined the Sith, Carth."

Carth staggered back. It was like being shot. The room started to sway around him and he couldn't keep his feet. "What do you mean he's joined the Sith?"

"There's an academy on Korriban for Sith...Force-users and soldiers. He's a student there. Saw him in their uniform and everything." Jordo looked up. "Sorry, Carth. I thought you knew."

"No...No, I didn't." Carth stammered. He wasn't sure how much else he could take. "Thanks for telling me, Jordo."

"Sure...uh, no problem. Good to see you again, Carth. Hope things work out with you and Dustil..." Jordo vanished out the door.

Carth slumped on a stool by the bar, staring outward. For the last few years, he'd been convinced his son had died in the attack. His body was never found but with all the destruction, that didn't seem too hard to accept. Morgana had never been able to tell what happened, she'd barely been able to get out a "I love you" before…

Carth rubbed his head. His son was alive. He was alive and…he was a Sith. He was trying to join the very monsters that had destroyed his home, killed his mother and tore him and his father apart. It made no sense whatsoever. It couldn't be true. But if it was…if it was…

He looked up at the human bartender and took a long breath. "Give me a drink you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Then double it."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"God, I feel better out of those things," Buffy said as she strode into the center of the ship. She had switched from robes to a simpler suit, dark in color.

"I agree," Vance said, now in dark pants and shirt himself. He looked Buffy over and smiled. "You look better out of them too."

"Why thank you," Buffy grinned. She ignored the look Bastila was giving her. "So how do we play this?"

Vance nodded to T3. "Little guy can get us inside and from there, we should be able to access the information we need."

"We will have to be careful," Bastila intoned. "If we are discovered here, it will not only be dangerous for us but also create a full-scale diplomatic incident that could harm the Republic. We must be quick and quiet and make as little fuss as possible."

"HK, you're staying here," Buffy immediately declared.

"We'll keep an eye on him," Mission declared and Zaalbar grunted in agreement.

Bastila nodded as she walked to the ship's exit. "Force willing, we shall be back soon and shall resolve this somewhat peacefully."

"Query: Will that be when your opponents rest in peace, meatbag?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith entered the cantina, looking around. The last rays of sunlight were striking the city as it began to set. Nights on Maanan weren't very long due to its orbit so most business still stayed open. Faith had become concerned when Carth hadn't returned to the ship and gone looking. What she found wasn't what she was expecting.

Carth was half-slumped at the bar, the bottle in front of him almost completely empty. His eyes were glazing a bit as he rubbed his brow. Faith moved in carefully, licking her lips before speaking. "Carth? Carth, you ok?"

He stared at her, blinking as he tried to focus. "Oh. Hey. How's it going?"

"What are you doing?" She sat next to him and reached to pull away the bottle.

He yanked it back. "Just nursing my wounds….I got a lot of them, you know." He took a long drink and slammed it down. "Another."

As the bartender went to get it, Faith leaned in. "Come on, let's get you back…"

He pulled her hand away. "No….not going."

"Carth, come on, this isn't good…"

He pulled again and her eyes narrowed. Her grip on his arm tightened and she almost pulled it out as she yanked him off. "Yes. You're going. I don't know why you're here drowning your sorrows but believe me, if Bastila sees you like this, she's gonna toss you off the ship. So let's get you back, get you sober and------"

"My son is with the Sith."

Faith stopped and stared at him. "Say what?"

Carth pulled away and slumped back in the stool. "Old fleet buddy of mine told me. He's on Korriban…at their academy there. He's with them, Faith. My son is…with the people…who killed his mother, his world…And I…I'm here."

Faith's gaze was fixed on him for several moments. She turned to take in his words and looked to the bartender as he placed another bottle before Carth. Faith's hand closed around it and brought it to her. As Carth stared, she opened it and took a long swig. "You can't handle this alone."

The bartender raised an eyebrow. "Careful. That stuff has a kick to it."

Faith sniffed. "I can handle it."

He shrugged as she tossed a long swig back.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith and Carth stumbled into the small hotel room, leaning on each other. The hotel was only a few blocks from the tavern, which was good as they could barely walk. Had Faith been more clear-headed, she would have been able to judge that whatever it was in that drink, it had a much bigger effect on a female human metabolism.

"Thought you said…you had two hollow legs…" Carth mumbled as they entered.

"I do…" Faith said as she tripped. "Neither of which is working right now." She laughed loud as she pulled her jacket off and tossed it aside. The hotel clerk had barely taken in their intoxicated appearances as it was a common sight around this neighborhood. They were hardly the first couple to rent a room under no name; indeed, they were the fourth here tonight.

Carth took his own jacket off as he made his way to the bed and sat down on it hard. He sighed. "It hurts…I….spent so long ignoring it and now it comes back and…"

"Hey…I know…" Faith moved next to him. "Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, listened to the original cast album, read the novelization, ate the Happy Meal tie-in."

Carth peered at her. "For once…I can use the fact you're smashed as an excuse to not knowing what you're saying."

Faith snickered. "Funny, flyboy."

Carth shook his head as he flopped back on the couch. "It…it's bad, Faith. I…don't want it to be bad…"

"It's not your fault," she said, rubbing a hand on his cheek. "It's not…you're better…than that…I know you are…"

He looked her and she looked back through bloodshot eyes. He leaned up and pressed his lips against hers. She was frozen before kissing back, harder, pushing him down and fumbling at his clothes. He was already rubbing under her shirt, hearing her moans as his hands rubbed her abs and then her chest.

The next few moments were filled with the sounds of hands trying to tear away clothing as desire filled the room. And then, for the next few hours, it was filled with sounds of a much different type.


	4. Chapter 4

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

Breaking into any place in Ahto City was a challenge. Whereas Taris had no real authority, Manaan was tight with authority and thus added to the challenge. The Jedi and T3 had made their way to a side door of the Sith Embassy. It resembled the Republic one but its decorations seemed darker, as did the aura it set off. Buffy couldn't resist a shiver as she went through it. "Feel that?"

Vance nodded. "Dark Jedi. At least a few of them inside."

"It may somehow be tied to the missing youths," Juhani stated as they came to the entranceway. "We should proceed with caution."

"Always love having you around to state the obvious, Juhani," Buffy intoned as T3 extended an arm into the waiting hole by the door pad. "Are you sure this will work?"

"T3 cracked the code on that datapad the Republic recovered in record time," Vance noted. "It should work out." There was a beep and the door slid open. Nodding to each other, the Jedi pulled out their lightsabers and stole inside.

With four Jedi, the ability to go unnoticed was pretty simple. The quartet moved carefully through the halls, their senses alert to any intruders. T3 found an outlet to access the main system. The droid trilled as it downloaded several databases and brought up cameras to show where soldiers were stationed. It also ensured that the cameras in certain hallways would go off at the right times.

Bastila smiled as she watched him work. "Now this droid is one worth having around." T3 let out a whistle at that remark as it disengaged from the system. "T3, stay here and try to keep out of sight," Bastila ordered. "We'll call if we need help."

Buffy threw the little droid a smile. "Don't worry. Being the cavalry is a noble profession." She followed the others down the hallways.

For the first few minutes, they lucked out, avoiding most of the droid and human patrols. That luck, however, changed when they got to a large control room containing a half-dozen soldiers and a fight was necessary. Fortunately, the loud noises from the area cut down on the sounds of blaster fire, lightsabers ands screams.

Vance stepped over the body of a Sith to check a nearby console. "Looks like this is a pressure room area to handle the water intake outside. It also looks like the only way to get at the rest of the base." He pointed to the console. "We have to figure out a way to move the water from one room to another in order to open a path."

Buffy closed her eyes and grimaced. "This is it. The day I always feared. A fourth-grade word math problem becomes vital to my life."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Jolee was going through a series of practice moves with his lightsaber in the training area when Canderous entered. "Hey. Have you heard anything from Carth or Faith?"

Jolee shook his head. "Not for a few hours." He paused and turned the saber off. "You don't think they ran into trouble, do you?"

Canderous gave him a look and Jolee blanched. "Yeah, dumb question." He paused and turned his saber off. Grabbing his tunic and slipping it on, he walked into the main hold. "Mission?"

The Twi'lek and Zaalbar were playing a game of pazaak in the main hold as Jolee entered. "What's up?"

"Looks like Faith and Carth haven't checked in for a while. I'm going to go make sure they haven't landed themselves in jail somehow."

Mission grinned. "Maybe they finally got themselves a hotel room to do the deed."

Jolee rolled his eyes. "Girl, you're far too young to have such a gutter mind."

_"As I have been telling her since we met,"_ Zaalbar intoned as they rose to join Jolee.

Thanks to the planet's fast orbit, daylight was already rising on this side of Manaan as the trio exited the ship and headed into the city. Jolee was about to head for someone at an information desk when he heard his name being called out. "Jolee! Jolee!"

Turning, he saw Elora racing up to him. Her face was frantic, her cheeks dry with the stain of tears and her eyes still watery. "Jolee, thank the Force!"

"Elora? Calm down, what is it!"

The woman came to a stop, trying to catch her breath. "It…it's horrible. So horrible, I can't believe it…"

"What? What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "It's Sunry. The authorities just arrested him…for murder!"

Jolee's jaw dropped. "Murder? You…you have to be kidding me!"

Elora shook her head. "I wish I were…they came this morning, they arrested him, they say he murdered some Sith officer! It's a mistake, a horrible mistake------"

Seeing she was ready to sob once more, Jolee gripped her shoulders. "Elora, calm down. I'll go to the authorities, I'll talk to them, we'll get this all sorted out."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes…yes…thank you, Jolee. Oh, thank you so much. I…I have to get back, I have to…" She stumbled away, wiping her eyes, obviously in shock.

_"Sunry is that friend you mentioned?"_ Zaalbar asked.

Jolee nodded. "Yes….yeah, it's been a while. I met him just yesterday."

"Was he…" Mission shrugged. "I mean, did he seem like someone who can do this?"

Jolee shook his head. "A man can change in that time. But still, murder….No, I just can't see Sunry doing that." Making an immediate decision, he snapped his head to the side. "Come on. Faith and Carth can handle themselves. I've got a friend that needs saving."

"_There is no reason we cannot do both," _ Zaalbar said. _"You can help your friend while Mission and I find Carth and Faith."_

Jolee smiled. "Thanks, Zaalbar. I'll check in soon." He walked off, still trying to figure this all out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"How is it possible for a woman so bright and excellent in combat to have so poor math skills?" Bastila was saying as the group entered the hallway. Buffy had guessed wrong on three of the rooms they needed to flood to clear another one. Luckily, Vance and Juhani had figured out the correct way to allow them inside. T3 had already shut down the force field blocking their path so they could continue on their way.

"Hey, where I lived, you were lucky to live long enough to use advanced calculus in your life!" Buffy retorted as the group made their way past the pressure rooms and into the next hallway. "Not to mention having to learn an entirely new math process when I landed here, I might add! I still can't believe I hooked onto that as fast as I did."

Bastila simply huffed. "We shall have to increase your studies there when we return to the ship."

"Oh, lovely, I'm being given homework while breaking into an enemy base. You sure you and Giles aren't somehow related?"

They had come to the far end of the embassy, away from many of the regular patrols when a Selkath walked into the hall before them. Seeing them, it started, then pulled out a lightsaber. The red blade was a bit clumsy in his hands but still lethal as he leapt forward and swung. Instinctively, Juhani blocked his strike with her own saber, then thrust out a palm. A wave of Force sent the Selkath slamming against the wall and it crumbled unconscious to the floor.

The group stared at him in disbelief. "A Selktah with a lightsaber?" Buffy remarked. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Vance frowned. "Denmark? I've never heard of that planet."

"It's not…" Buffy shook her head. "Never mind." She led the way into a small corridor that branched off to four separate rooms. Juhani sniffed as she glanced at one. "There…there is death behind her. Bad death."

"Funny, in all my time, I've yet to ever see good death," Buffy couldn't help remarking.

Hefting his saber, Vance opened the door and entered. Despite all his experiences in war and combat, he gagged at the sight. Buffy felt her own stomach clench as she saw what was inside.

Four young Selkath lay on the floor. This room had once been an infirmary. Now, it was an abattoir. The walls were stained with green-yellow Selkath blood, and sticky, congealing pools of it rested beneath the dead. Spent canisters of drugs, and blood-stained instruments were everywhere - scattered on counters or the floor.

One Selkath let out a gasping sound as his arm flopped. Juhani moved to him. "Wait…relax, we can help you."

Unfocused green eyes opened. _"Tell...tell Shasa the Sith..."_

"Tell her yourself, friend. Just hold on," Vance said. "Hold..."

With its last ounce of strength, the alien put a small token into Juhani's hand, then convulsed and went limp. Juhani bowed her head and muttered under her breath.

"The Force willed it," Bastila said quietly. "Sometimes there is nothing to be done."

"The Force hadn't a damn thing to do with it," Buffy said sharply. "Come on."

She stormed out, her aura alive with fire. "Buffy," Bastila began.

"If this is about controlling the anger, save it," Buffy snapped. "Someone's decided to use these kids as sparring dummies and I'm gonna return the favor."

Bastila sighed but stopped when she felt a flash of darkness around her. "There…that is the place."

The four faced a doorway that was just opening. Waiting for them were two Selkath apprentices flanking a human man in Dark Jedi robes. In a flash, all four had their lightsabers ignited. The Dark Jedi smiled under his hood as he faced them.

"Well, now," he said. "Allow me to introduce myself, Sith Master Gai Davder. You may have thwarted the other traps in this base and the cannon fodder I had on guard, but you have come to the end, now...Jedi."

"You're turning these innocent children into killer for the Sith," Bastila accused as she hefted up her saber.

Davder threw back his head and laughed. "I convinced them to come, and they stay willingly once they have. No one leaves the Sith...alive, that is."

_"Master, allow us the honor of helping you kill these intruders,"_ said one of the Selkath.

"As you wish." Davder pulled out a pair of lightsabers, igniting both. He threw out his hands to let a blast of energy knock Buffy back. The others went on the attack. The two apprentices were surprisingly good but against the well-trained Vance and Juhani, they had almost no chance.

Davder was much more capable as he was proving by driving Bastila back. She lunged out but he dodged, slicing his saber at her wrist. Bastila managed to block it and threw her saber back. Davder brought both of his blades up to block the shot. Too late, he saw a blur of motion racing to him and turned to face it. He tried to bring one lightsaber up but Buffy was too fast and he gasped in agony as her blade sliced into his chest. He gripped it, gasping before collapsing in a heap.

Buffy let out a big breath as she turned her saber off. "Well, that was invigorating."

Vance was looking around the chamber the Dark Jedi had come out of. "Hey, look at this!" he called out. The three women entered to see him opening up a large chest and studying a datapad. He held it out to Bastila. "This goes far beyond just some missing youths."

Bastila looked it over. "Corrupt the best and brightest of Selkath youth, use them to establish a puppet government, and basically ensure that Manaan throws in with the Sith."

"Who of course will make sure the kolto stays with them and use the Selkath as slave labor to process it," Juhani noted with distaste.

Buffy whistled. "I'm betting there's gonna be a big to-do when we bring this to the authorities."

_"Hold it!"_ A Selkath voice cut through the room. _"Why have you killed Master Gai? What are you doing in his quarters?"_

The group turned to see that a half-dozen adolescent Selkath blocked their only exit. Their apparent leader was a female who had a vibroblade in her hand. She looked at them warily, but otherwise waited for them to make a move. Buffy reached for her lightsaber but Juhani stepped forward to address the female. "Are...are you Shasa?"

A scowl. _"Yes...and who are you?"_

"I am Juhani. Shasa, your father is worried about you. He wanted us to investigate before the Sith turned on us."

_"I told you your father would get suspicious, Shasa!" _said one of the other Selkath youth. _"He always hated the Sith."_

_"My father does not understand,"_ Shasa said. _"He's blinded by his own prejudice! The Sith are teaching us mastery of the Force. Our alliance with the Sith will being strength to Manaan and the Selkath people."_

"They lied to you," Bastila said. "What they really want is the planet - and they wanted you to get it for them."

Shasa made a noise of contempt. _"Republic propaganda. The Sith are the victims of lies and half-truths. They're not monsters - no more so then the Republic. The Sith have promised to guide us in use of the Force as a sign of good faith. And once the Republic is defeated, the Sith have promised to withdraw from Manaan and respect our independence."_

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Good God, people still actually fall for that old line? So much for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe."

"What they've taught you is a terrible curse," Bastila said. "If the Republic is defeated, the Sith will enslave this planet."

_"Spare us your lies,"_ Shasa said. _"The Sith have treated us with respect and honor. You speak as if we're being held prisoner here, but we can leave whenever we wish. Our friend Galas chose to leave and he was returned to his home safely."_

"_Shasa, what if they aren't lying? Remember what happened on Taris..."_ reminded another cadet.

"Yes, certainly you must have heard of the destruction of Taris. It is your 'honorable' friends that committed that atrocity," argued Bastila.

_"Taris? How do we know if THAT's the truth, either?"_ She looked at them in challenge. _"If the Sith are such monsters, then prove it to us. Surely there is some evidence of the horrors they are said to commit."_

"What of this?" Juhani reached into her pocket to take out the small medallion the dying Sith had given her. "I found a young Selkath dying of torture," she said. "He gave me this. There was...there was nothing we could do for him."

Shasa accepted the pin and held it up to the light. "_This…this is the pin I gave Galas when we were children. There is blood on it." _

_"You could have found this anywhere,"_ another Selkath said. _"For all we know, you killed him!"_

"The Sith tortured him to death. Shasa. You know this to be true," Bastila said. "The training your master gave you should be enough to let you know we tell the truth."

_"Shasa, I believe them. How else could they have found this pin?"_ the first cadet said.

Shasa hung her head and lowered her weapon. _"I didn't want to believe it, but I can no longer deny what I know to be true. Galas is dead and the Sith are responsible." _

"There's more," Buffy said, handing Shasa the datapad.

_"Shasa - this is the master's own datapad! Look, they're telling the truth,"_ said the second.

She gasped - a rasping, bubbling sound. _"I...I cannot believe it, and yet the evidence is right before me. The Sith wanted us to betray Manaan! I must apologize for doubting you. The Sith truly are as evil as you claim." _

_"We must report this to the Ahto City authorities!"_ demanded a third cadet.

_"Yes, we must report this at once,"_ Shasa agreed. _"We thank you, Jedi, for showing us the truth. You have saved us from a terrible mistake."_

Bastila smiled wryly. "You have been saved from more than you know. Given time, the Sith would have turned you fully to the Dark Side, and you would have betrayed your world gladly. "

Shasa motioned to the others. _"Quickly, my friends, we can stay here no longer. We must flee this foul embassy and warn our people of this plot."_

"And that's our cue to get out too," Buffy announced.

"Indeed," Bastila stated as the Selkath hurried off. "Hopefully, we will not run into any more problems."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Your Padawan's luck is rubbing off on you," Vance dryly intoned to Bastila as they found themselves exiting the Embassy only to be facing a group of well-armed and angry-looking Selkath in official uniforms along with a few battle droids. T3 was in the middle of the group, giving a little beep of apology.

"_Humans, you are placed under arrest of the Ahto City Civil authority!"_

"Whoa, whoa. You've got the wrong folks here!" Buffy said.

The lead officer shook his head. "_Though the Sith Embassy here is considered sovereign territory of the Sith Empire, we have been monitoring an alarming number of weapon discharges and detonations from the base. Inquiries to the staff of the Embassy yielded no response. It would seem contact had been cut. Our cameras recorded you and your party entering the base shortly before contact was lost and the fighting began."_

"Do you wish us to make a statement?" Bastila said.

"_None are needed. It is the conclusion of Ahto City authority that you are responsible for the disturbance here and you are hereby placed under arrest. You will come with us to await your trial. Now, don't attempt to resist or we shall resort to overwhelming force to subdue you._"

Vance leaned in to Buffy. "How do we play this?"

She sighed. "Even if we got past them, we'd have to fight the whole city authority and that won't get us any closer to the Star Map. I guess we have to give up."

"I am surprised but pleased, Buffy," Bastila said as she handed her lightsaber to a guard. "You are exercising great restraint now."

"Time to fight and time to talk, Bastila," Buffy noted as she turned her own weapon over. "Hopefully, we'll be able to skip the latter as fast as possible to get back to the former."

Bastila sighed and wondered if she'd be in the right by using the Force to mute her apprentice during their hearing.

**I know, no Faith and Carth but they're busy with action of their own G . Next chapter will pick up with them, legal proceedings on Manaan and a trip to the depths. Keep the reviews coming. **


	5. Chapter 5

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

Faith's eyes slowly opened and it took her mind a few moments to follow her back to consciousness. As usual, she became aware of her surroundings quickly. She felt the cool touch of satin that showed she was naked. She felt the warm heat of someone next to her. And as her eyes focused, she saw Carth lying next to her.

"Crap," Faith muttered as she slowly sat up. She was somewhat surprised she was so clear-headed. Evidentially, the alien liquor somehow managed to skip over the effects of a hangover, which she was grateful for right now. At least, she thought she was.

She instinctively looked around for her clothes, reaching to throw on underwear and pants. She was reaching for her shirt when she heard Carth stir and quickly slipped it on. It struck her how for once she was actually feeling modest. It was a somewhat disconcerting notion.

Carth opened his eyes and it took a moment to focus on her. He stared with what looked like the same thrown expression Faith had. "Um…hey. Morning."

"Morning." It was lame, Faith knew, but it was all she could think of to say. She watched as Carth rolled over and glanced away. Once again, she was annoyed at this sudden burst of decorum. _Damn, I'm turning into some middle-aged maid_ she thought to herself.

Carth managed to pull on his pants and shirt as he turned to face Faith. "So, um…how are you?"

"Okay," Faith remarked as she slipped on her boots. "I, um…this is…It's…" She shook her head. "Dammit, I hate being at a loss for words."

"I can tell," Carth said with a slight smile. "I just…I haven't been with anyone since…"

Faith knew what he meant and looked down. "Last guy I was with was two years ago and it wasn't…well, not exactly a slow-starting relationship, ya know? And before that…well, I've never been the whole flowers and dinners girl."

"Somehow, I'm not all surprised," Carth noted. He pulled his jacket on as he looked carefully at Faith. "Is that what this is? Just a one-night thing?"

"Honestly? I got no damn clue," Faith said, throwing up her hands. "I'm….I just don't know if I can handle this, Carth. I'm sorry but I don't."

"Wait a minute," he snapped. "You've been laying out so many hints and come-ons to me since we met…"

"Yeah, flirting is one thing but getting serious is something else!" the Slayer fired back. She closed her eyes. "Dammit, I….can we just get out of here and figure this out later?"

Carth opened his mouth, then shut it and nodded. Feeling more than slightly relieved, Faith walked out of the suite and he followed, both with their minds at a whirl. They exited the hotel and headed onto the streets, adjusting to the new light. "Let's just get back to the ship before we're missed too much," Faith said.

"Hey there!" Mission's voice came from behind them. Faith and Carth both shut their eyes and grimaced before turning to see Mission and Zaalbar standing before them. The Twi'lek had a knowing smirk on her face while the Wookie merely rolled his eyes. "About time, you two."

"Don't start," Faith snapped. "You got that? Just don't start." She tried to calm herself. "They send you two out to search for us?"

"We volunteered," Mission confirmed. "Jolee's busy. Seems that buddy of his, Sunry, got arrested for murder and he's gone to help him out."

Faith and Carth were thrown. "Murder?" Carth stated. "That old Republic officer? It's got to be a mistake!"

"Or a frame-up," Faith remarked. "We'd better go check this out."

"Sure you don't want to shower first?" Mission asked. The smirk grew. "Or did you do that together?"

Faith gave her a cold look and Mission's smirk vanished as she felt very grateful the Slayer didn't have that extra lightsaber with her right now.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The judicial building for Ahto City was a large and round white structure, open to the public. Jolee had pretty much strolled on in, although he did need to show his lightsaber in order to get to the main room at the center where the judges gathered.

Approaching the judges panel in the center rotunda reminded him a little too much of approaching the Jedi Council as a young man, bringing back some bad memories. He never liked dealing with law enforcement, either. Law had little to do with justice, but try telling it to a constable. Already, a Sith officer and a Republic one were arguing loudly.

"The Republic respects the peace of Ahto City, your honors. But the Sith are a violent people who leave violence in their wake. I have three soldiers in the infirmary!"

"If the Republic soldiers were more capable, they would not have suffered such serious injuries." The Sith laughed. "Are my soldiers to be punished simply because they won a fair fight?"

"I hardly call three against six a fair fight, your honors!" the Republic man stated. "The Sith are cowards who attack only when they have the advantage of superior numbers!"

_Different singers, same old song,_ Jolee thought tiredly.

The judge in the center of the panel, a thin-looking Selkath, looked refreshingly annoyed with the squabbling pair. _"I am aware of the Republic's indignation. However, witness reports clearly state that your Republic soldiers were as willing to engage in violence as the Sith in this case." _

"They were provoked, your honors! The Sith goaded them into this fight."

"_Threats and taunts are insufficient provocation in the eyes of this court. Words can be ignored - which is what your men should have done. I find both Republic and Sith to be equally at fault for this preach of the peace. I should throw all parties involved into Ahto City jail, but since no Selkath were harmed in this foolish conflict, I will show mercy and levy a fine of ten thousand credits to both sides. This court is dismissed, though I warn you that further disturbances will not be viewed with such leniency_."

Both of them groaned. Well, for being a bunch of law-bound bureaucrats, Jolee could develop an appreciation for these Selkath. As he passed by the Sith representative, he spoke in frustration. "Manaan should treat us Sith better - their day of reckoning approaches. They say everyone on Manaan is equal. It would seem, though that the Republic is a little more equal then the Sith. Neutrality? Ha! That's a laugh." He stormed past Jolee and out the courtroom door.

Almost on cue, the Republic representative passed by him and also felt the need to make a comment to anyone in earshot. "I'm sick of hearing about Manaan's neutrality. Manaan would already be under Sith control, but we haven't had one word of thanks from the Selkath . Why can't the Selkath see what the Sith are really like? They should ban them all from this planet. It sounds like a coward's excuse not to fight, if you ask me." Again, storming past, the Republic man went right out the same door. Jolee shook his head. It was downright amazing how similar the two sides were sometimes.

He approached the bench. The tired-looking judge in the middle addressed him. _"I am Judge Shelkar acting on behalf of the official government of Manaan. It is my task today to answer the needs of off-world citizens of both the Republic and the Sith Empire,"_ he said.

"Sounds like you got your work cut out for you," Jolee couldn't help noting.

Shelkar gave the Selkath version of a sigh, which sounded more like a gurgle. "_The governing bodies of both states seek to keep an amicable relationship with our world in order to facilitate the exporting of kolto. I do not delude myself into thinking that either of your states hold any great love for us, but we are necessary so we at least keep our autonomy. I try not to concern myself with intergalactic policy. I find it stretches the letter of the law too much for my tastes."_

"I was told to come here by the constables. I have questions about a pending case."

"_If you have legitimate grievances with another party, then you should speak to me. You should first, however, consult the Republic embassy before pressing formal charges. Is there something you wish to bring to my attention?"_

"There's a human man, name of Sunry Gensbrem. I hear he's been arrested for murder. Is that so?"

_"Yes,"_ Shelkar said. _"A real tragedy, that is. Sunry is known to us as a hero of the Republic in your perpetual conflicts with the Sith empire. While he may have been severely injured in the line of duty, I personally hold him in high regard." _

"Speaking of that injury, your honor, has it been taken into consideration?"

"_In no way does his disability hamper him, though. Rest assured that my personal regard will not affect my judgment. While emotion may rule the Republic Senate, the cold hard hand of the law rules here on Manaan."_

"Fair enough. Now, the constables mentioned an Arbiter...?"

Shelkar thought about this. _"In Manaan legal tradition, the defendant can have an Arbiter who tries to prove his innocence in court. No one has stepped forward for the task as of yet."_

Jolee let out a breath. It was now or never. "Your honor, if it's possible, I would like to act as his Arbiter."

Shelkar scrutinized him carefully. _"As a member of the Jedi Order, I believe you would suit the position well. So be it. You are appointed arbiter in the case of Sunry Gensbrem versus the Sith Empire. Your name and position have been recorded in our files. I will now inform you of the pertinent facts in this case. You have a limited amount of time in which to investigate and organize a defense of your client, and I suggest you use it wisely."_

"Hey, Chrome!" Jolee turned to see Faith, Carth, Mission and Zaalbar enter the courtroom. One look at the rumbled way the clothing they'd worn the previous day hung around the two humans and Jolee knew what had gone on. But that was something that was their business, he had much more important matters at hand.

Seeing Shelkar frown, Jolee quickly spoke. "They're with me."

Carth nodded to the judges and looked to Jolee. "We heard about Sunry. What's going on?"

"That's what I'm about to find out," Jolee said as he turned back to the judges. "What can you tell me about the circumstances of this murder? What is it your teams found?"

"Mr. Gensbrem was seen leaving a hotel in the visitor's quarter, leaving behind a dead Sith woman - Elassa Huros. A Republic medal was found clutched in the victim's hand. He has been charged with murder and is being held in the Ahto City prison facilities. Due to his poor health, he is being kept in a solitary holding cell. You may find the prison across the plaza from the court."

"I'll speak to him," Jolee said. "What is it I have to know about Manaan law?"

_"There are five of us who sit on this panel and we judge all cases. We are all equal in rank, and we all can be interviewed by you, Arbiter."_ And with a bubbling-sounding sigh, Shelkar added. _"And while we Selkath do not believe in violence as a solution, we sentence murders to death. It will be a quick and mostly painless death - but death still."_

_When you step in it, Sunry, you step in it big-time. _ "Is there anything suspicious about the case?"

"_Yes, there is something that has been bothering me: the medal that was clutched in the Sith's hand. I find it most odd that such a blatantly incriminating piece of evidence would be left at the scene of the crime_."

"Can you be certain it's Sunry's medal - or that it wasn't planted at the scene?"

"_We have analyzed it, and while it does not appear to be a replica, I still have my doubts. In the midst of the crime, Sunry could well have lost it. I have seen much more improbable things happen in my tenure to the courts. Simply because it was real does not mean Sunry would have overlooked it being in Elassa's hand_."

Jolee thought this over. "Thank you. I'll interview the other judges."

"_Since this is also your first case, and you are an off-worlder. I feel compelled to add 'good luck' as my final missive._"

"Yeah, I'll need it."

It took only a few moments for him to get a read on the other judges and give himself an idea of what he was facing. Jhosa was a little more gray than green, and he moved slower. Jolee guessed this to be signs of an advanced age, even if he wasn't sure if that was actually the case. After looking over the records that authorized Jolee access to the court, he began to speak.

"_Since you have been designated Arbiter in the Sunry case, I shall answer any questions that you might have. Sunry is a former Republic officer who is highly regarded by your people here on Manaan, and even seems to maintain some sort of relations with them still. If he is as capable as some of the Republic citizens still believe him to be, he is certainly capable of actions that would result in this murder_."

"But it almost seems too heavily stacked against him, doesn't it?" Carth pointed out.

"_Well I have often wondered, if Sunry were so innocent, why was he fleeing the scene of the crime? Why would he be running if he had not committed the crime itself, or was at least aware of what had occurred? This case seems fairly obvious and simple to me. Your Republic types stick together, however, and I assume you will go to lengths to defend him."_

Carth bristled and was about to fire back a comment on the Republic's merits when Jolee broke in. "Well, I'm actually more in agreement with you on this matter. I've seen enough posturing and foolishness from both sides, and I'm too old for any of it."

_"Both empires are at fault for this current conflict. The Republic in the past for laying the foundations upon which the Sith Empire grew. And the Sith now, obviously, for starting this war. But no matter the wrongs that had been done in the past, the Sith have no cause for renewing hostilities. It almost seems as if they just want to conquer everything!"_ Jhosa finished writing his statement on Jolee's datapad and handed it back to him. _"I believe the Republic has the right to defend itself and drive the Sith back to where they came from. Unfortunately for them...and perhaps for us...they do not seem to be doing a good job of it so far."_

Naleshekan, the third judge, was one of the rudest people Jolee had ever encountered. _"Do you think his Republic masters would let someone so valuable go so easily? I think not," _he said with a slurring sound that was probably a huff. _"I think Sunry maintains his contacts with the Republic and seeks to escalate the situation here. I find this case to be fairly straightforward. Sunry is from the Republic, Elassa from the Sith. The great empires battling now live out their conflict through their minions, too." _

"Well, that's one theory," Jolee said.

"_I do not buy the Republic line that this is some epic battle between the 'good' Republic against the 'evil' Sith empire. The Sith Empire is merely an expansionistic power, much like the Republic was early in its history. It is simply the turning of history, where the old is swept away by the better new_."

"I'll...remember that..." Jolee said, forcing himself to be diplomatic, a talent he hadn't had needed for two decades at least and never had much of in the first place.

Duula was worse, topping Nakeshekan's heights of arrogance and overt Sith support. "_I find the idea that a half-human cripple like Sunry could murder someone as obviously competent as the Sith Elassa questionable at best. A man who can barely walk killed a Sith warrior in her prime? Preposterous! But I would not put it past the Republic to try and arrange such circumstances to see her dead. The Sith are much more straightforward about their intentions_."

Jolee glanced behind him to see Faith's jaw set. He was sure she was biting her tongue so hard, it was on the verge of being cut in half. Duula went on. "_I think that there must have been another there who killed her. Perhaps one of the 'witnesses.' I do not know the reason for the medal clutched in Elassa's hand either, but it may have been that she fought them off, even as she died. I think this may be the work of some Republic conspiracy and I am not afraid to say so! If the only means I have of hurting the Republic is through Sunry, then so be it!"_

Jolee didn't know what to say to that comment - at least not anything that would help Sunry's case. "So, not a friend of the Republic, I see..."

"_I believe the Republic is an institution in sore need of change. It has gone on too long and the Sith are the fresh wind of change blowing across the galaxy. I do not believe the false stories of the evils of the Sith Empire. They are nothing compared to the oppression and stagnation that the Republic represents at its core. If given the power to decide, Manaan would join with the Sith, forcing the Republic to accept the new face of the future. But, sadly, it would appear that I am wiser and more farsighted than my immediate superiors. I am relegated to civil judicial matters. I will judge in this case, and I will find Sunry as guilty as he is charged to be_."

"So nice to meet an impartial judge for a change," Jolee grumbled.

"_Impartiality is one thing, blindness is another_."

"You said it, not I."

"_It's up to you, off-worlder, to prove the human's innocence. I simply doubt you will be capable of doing so_."

Fortunately, the last judge, Kota, knew what the term "manners" meant. She wasn't afraid to use them, either. However, she was just as vocal in her support for the Republic as Duula and Naleshekan were for the Sith.

"_Sunry...yes... If the Republic had more individuals like him right now, I do not believe the Sith would be so great a problem for your people_."

"Ah, perhaps," Jolee said. "But the best war can do is create more of the same."

_"Spoken well, Arbiter," _Kota said_. "I find it questionable that a man with such a reputable past as Sunry would murder a Sith woman, especially from behind. But knowing the Sith, there was probably some deception involved. They seek to do the same to us here. There has been much pressure by the Sith on our government - and even on the judges themselves - to deliver a guilty verdict in this case. But the letter of the law is absolute and will not be compromised for Sith power-games."_

"That so, huh? Well, I've seen enough of both to weary of them."

_"I find this great battle being waged across the galaxy to be both disturbing and, ultimately, tragic. For all of its faults, your tottering Republic has benefited the majority of the galaxy for many millennia. To see it fall into ruin in such a short time..."_ She wrote her statement on Jolee's datapad, as the other judges did. _"I do not like the Sith, that I make no effort to hide. I will even admit that if given the option, I would rule that we should join the Republic. But I must remain impartial and rule on this case as the law requires."_

Jolee nodded. "I better get started then. Thanks for your time." He turned to head away as Shelkar called out for the next case. A group of guards and a pair of robo droids herded Buffy, Bastila, Vance, Juhani and T3-M4 into the courtroom. Jolee stopped and stared in surprise at them.

Bastila closed her eyes and groaned when she saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was here on another matter," Jolee said with a cocky grin. "But it looks like I'm getting a better show than I thought."

"We're here all week, 7:30 show is different than the 5:30 show," Buffy remarked as the group was led in.

As they passed by, Faith couldn't help but get a jibe in. "Wow, B. Brings back memories. Only last time, I was the one being led to jail."

Buffy just glared at her as the group was brought before the judges. Shelkar checked the datapad and nodded. "_You are accused of breaking into the Sith embassy, causing destruction and the possible deaths of Sith personnel. We cannot confirm the last as the Sith refuse to share details. However, these are all enough crimes to merit severe punishment by our laws." _He clicked the pad and started at the information there. _"You refused legal representation?"_

"That is correct," Bastila said, taking charge quickly. "We are prepared to defend ourselves. We were investigating the reports of missing Selkath youths." That was, partly, right.

Jhosa sniffed. _"We have heard of those reports. What does that have to do with your case?"_

"Everything," Bastila declared. "Your honors, we have proof the Sith have been attempting to corrupt the Selkath youth, to use them in a plot to overthrow the Manaan government!"

That caused a chorus of high-pitched gurgles as the judges reacted. Duula leaned in, eyes narrowed. _"You bring serious accusations, human. Where is this supposed proof?"_

_"Here, your honors!" _Everyone turned to see Shaelas and Shasa at the front of a group of Selktah. The Jedi recognized some as the youths they'd found in the Sith base, the adults presumably their parents. Shasa stepped forward and motioned to the Jedi. _"These Jedi found us at the Sith embassy. The Sith told us all that they could teach us the ways of the Force, to better our world and people! They have been training us for months. They told us it was for the good of Manaan and we believed them. But then…these Jedi told us the truth. They showed us what the Sith are like, that they kill us in 'training exercises' and torture and were using us to take over our own world for them!"_

The judges were upset once more as Duula clapped a fin to his table. _"You make accusations but where is this proof?"_

"If you examine the datapad we had on us," Bastila announced. "You shall see for yourselves."

The pad was brought forward and the judges examined it. "_This…is troubling,"_ Shelkar spoke up. _"I call for a recess so we may examine this pad and make certain it is genuine._"

As the judges rose, Jolee moved to the pod where his fellow Jedi stood. "I'd love to see how this develops but I have to get going to help an old friend out." He turned to walk off only to find Faith falling in step with him. He stopped and stared at her. "Girl, what are you…?"

"I figure you can use a hand," Faith said. "I was with the Taris authorities, remember? 'Sides, maybe an outside view of Sunry might be a help."

Jolee had to admit she had a point and nodded. "All right." They took a few steps and he stopped again to face her. "Sure this isn't so you can avoid talking with Carth?"

Her look was answer enough and he couldn't help but chuckle as they exited the courtroom.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well, I have to say, this is the nicest jail I've ever seen," Faith intoned as they stood in the detention center. Indeed, the area was as clean and white as the rest of the city. There were various pods set around with bars to hold troublemakers, although most were empty. After seeing Jolee's authorization, the Selkath warden reluctantly trotted Sunry into a questioning room, leaving the two of them alone. The years had been pretty bad to Sunry, and it was more obvious now. He moved with a shuffling gait as he stared in surprise at the other man.

"Jolee! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get you out of this mess. The courts went and made me Arbiter for your case."

Despite the circumstances, Sunry managed a laugh. "Just like old times, eh Jolee? You come swooping in out of nowhere to save my tail from the fire."

"You saved my wrinkled butt more than a few times as well, friend, if I recall," Jolee's mood sobered, remembering what was at stake here. "But there'll be time for catching up later. Right now, we need to focus on the case."

"Well, I guess if you're going to be appointed my Arbiter, you'll need to know what happened," Sunry said. He looked away from Jolee and out the narrow window behind him, his hand shaking so that drops of water hit the floor. The prison windows still had bars on them – mostly for psychological effect, Jolee guessed. He could hear the tinny hum of a modern forcefield backing it up.

"I might as well start from the beginning," Sunry told him slowly, slumping in his cell. Faith found it amazing that while Jolee carried himself with the air of a man thirty years younger, Sunry seemed far older than he was. "The case is a complete frame-up. Anyone looking at the evidence could see that - or so I thought." He shook his head like he didn't have the strength to lift it. "But the Selkath seem to think, well that there's enough to go to trial."

"And what were you doing at the hotel with a Sith woman young enough to be your daughter?" Jolee folded his arms.

Sunry jolted up in his seat as if someone stuck him with a bantha prod, stammering out his words. "Well, I was at the hotel, I admit. And I did meet Elassa there that night, but it's not what you think!" Sunry looked around shiftily, his voice dropping to a whisper as he leaned across the table, smiling. "I...I was working with Republic intelligence. We were pretending to feed information to the Sith while I turned Elassa into a double agent working for us." He slumped over again. "It was going well, too...until she turned up dead." Sunry paused for a moment, sliding back in his seat again. "Maybe the Sith found out and had her eliminated."

Faith knew Jolee wanted to believe Sunry but something didn't seem right. "Well, it's not one I'd put past the Sith, but there is the matter of you being at the scene of the crime, my friend. The Selkath courts might understand espionage, but murder?"

Sunry sighed in exasperation. "Let's look at the facts they've given: Elassa was brutally killed. Think about that. She was a Sith, trained in battle. I'm just a crippled old man!" He held out his hands to demonstrate the violent tremors. "The neural damage was bad enough, and age has just made it worse! How could I kill a Sith warrior at close quarters, I ask you!"

"It does seem a little suspicious, yes," Jolee admitted. The war injuries and old age had greatly compromised Sunry's mobility, but Sunry's body was still in better shape than his mind believed. "And what's this about the medal found at the crime scene?"

Sunry snorted, not even hiding his disbelief that Jolee would ask. "Would I leave my war medal behind if I killed someone? Even I'm not that stupid!"

Jolee rubbed his chin. "No one said you were, Sunry. That was the first thing that sent up an alarm about it. I know how you got that medal, and I know you've spent the rest of your life paying for it."

Faith broke in. "I gotta ask, was there any forensic evidence around? Skin, clothing fibers, hair samples, anything like that?"

Sunry shook his head. "It's a public hotel. With all the people going in and out, anything was contaminated by the time the authorities got there."

Jolee rubbed his chin. "Hmm…I have to say, Sunry, it's not looking good. I'll do my best but some of the judges already seem to have made up their minds about you."

"I wonder if the Sith have been putting pressure on people to get them to convict me. It wouldn't surprise me after all. They've had it in for me since the war," he said, almost rhetorically. He leaned in again. "You should ask everyone at the hotel about that. They might admit to helping the Sith under pressure."

Jolee stared at his old friend for a long time before nodding. "Yeah, I'd better get to that." He rose to his feet and turned to the door. "I'll get at the bottom of this, Sunry."

"Thanks, Jolee. I feel a lot better now that you're the one on my side!" He chuckled. "Tell Elora not to fret too much, okay?"

Jolee snorted. "Like I can stop that?" Sunry managed a smile as the two exited.

Faith was quiet until they entered the main street. "He's lying through his teeth."

Jolee glared at her. "Nice to see you not judging him too quickly."

Faith shook her head. "Jolee, I may not be a good liar but I know one when I see him. That guy was holding more than a few things back."

"Maybe," Jolee allowed. "But I promised to help him and I will. Not just because he's my friend. I said I would and I intend to get to the truth."

"Better be sure it's something you want," Faith noted. Before she could go on, a man in a dark suit appeared before them. He had a thinning head of hair and his face was like a fox's, his eyes shifting about. "You, Jedi! I hear you are investigating the Sunry murder trial, are you not?"

Jolee and Faith exchanged a look. "Yes. You have information for me, or are you going to stand there and look mysterious?"

"This case is not at all what it appears to be. Many currents, might I say, flow beneath the surface. This murder is much more complicated than it may first appear. Sunry and Elassa are proxies for their governments and both sides wanted the other to fail. You can see the journey by the footprints? You understand, yes?"

Jolee rolled his eyes. "Talk plain, man. I'm too old for someone to babble riddles at me."

"Hmm...dear, dear. I'm saying that they both had something to do with it. They've both kept their hands in this from the start! If you want to get to the bottom of this murder, you might seek information from both the Republic and the Sith, likely in their embassies."

"Oh and they'll welcome us with open arms, right?" Faith snapped.

Jolee was also dubious. "And just why should I believe someone like you, hmm? Someone who just talks up to me on the street..."

"Why believe me?" the man replied. "Because you've no one else to trust? Not Sunry, not the witnesses, and certainly not the judges. Heed my advice, Jedi, and you may yet find the truths in this murder." With a final look around, he headed into a side street and was gone in moments.

Faith just stared at the spot he'd been. "For the first time ever, I'm finally understanding what it must be like to get to know Angel."


	6. Chapter 6

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

"Finally," Buffy breathed as the four Jedi made their way out of the courthouse. "I close to blowing my mind on that."

"At least we managed to settle it easily," Bastila stated. "The Selkath now know the truth of what the Sith have been up to."

Vance smiled. "Did you see the look on those Sith-supporting judges when they came back? Something tells me they won't be as popular around here soon."

"Neither shall the Sith," Juhani noted. "The Selkath shall be keeping a close eye on them. And their declaration the Sith shall no longer receive special protection from the local authorities does make our jobs somewhat easier."

"Speaking of which," Bastila declared as they walked along. "We'd best get to the Embassy at once. The sooner we give this information, the sooner we can reach the Star Map."

"Fine by me," Buffy said. "I go on record now, however, by predicating it won't turn out well."

"Can you sense that through the Force?" Juhani asked with a frown.

"Nope. Just my natural history at work."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith knew Jolee could feel the tension coming from her as they made their way to the same hotel she and Carth had been at the night before. If the Jedi knew, he didn't show it, his face more stern as usual as he mulled over what to do.

"So are you good cop or bad cop?" Faith asked as they crossed the threshold. "Cause I'm usually at my best when I'm at my worst." Seeing Jolee not responding gave Faith a tiny shiver as she realized just how big this was for him.

The proprietor was a human man with a glare that could sour milk. "I'm Ignus. I own this hotel, at least in theory. You're the one defending Sunry now, eh? Well, the hotel's open for you and I guess I got to answer any questions you want, too." He paused as he saw Faith and a slight leer came onto his face. "Unless your gal here wants another hot night to herself."

As Faith's face flushed, Jolee tried to keep his own calm. "Now, now. Sooner I get this over with, sooner you can go back into business. You were at this hotel, and who else was here that could have seen the murder?"

"There were only two other people in the hotel when it happened. One was a Rhodian named Gluupor. Seems like a really dirty, shifty type. Normally, I don't allow his kind in here. I'm a reputable businessman, you know!" He seemed to not notice the scoffs his visitors made. "But there weren't many people here, so I decided to take a chance. The other is a regular known as Firith Me. He's a Pazaak player, probably an addict, but he claims he's big in some circles. Don't know anything about him past that."

"Maybe I could challenge him to a game or two while I'm here," Jolee joked. "Did any of them - or you - know Sunry or the victim...Miss Huros?"

"Elassa used to rent rooms here every week or so. Then Sunry would come by a couple hours later and stay all night. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what was going on."

"And you prove that," Faith remarked. She gave Jolee a quick "told you so" look.

_Sunry, this had better be what you said. If you were hurting Elora..._He made a couple notes on his datapad and turned to Ignus. "So, what happened the night of the murder?"

"The night of the murder, Elassa rents a room in the hotel. An hour or two later Sunry comes in and goes to her room, like usual. A couple hours later, I hear a blaster shot and see Sunry running." Ignus elaborated, "He can't run good 'cause he's a cripple, but still he was going pretty fast. I would swear he started after the shot, though. I mean, it's possible, just barely, that it went off after he left, but I'd not tell that to the courts."

"Sure you can't be persuaded to say otherwise?" Jolee asked. Faith shot him a look of surprise as Ignus seemed interested. Grabbing the Jedi's arm, Faith gave the owner a fast smile. "Thanks for the help, we'll be back later." She dragged Jolee away, the smile vanishing. "What the hell are you doing?" she hissed.

Jolee frowned. "I'm trying to help Sundry."

Faith rubbed her face. "I know this may sound like the ultimate case of pot calling the kettle…" She looked at Jolee's skin. "Never mind…I don't think bribing for perjury is gonna help your buddy out."

Jolee shook his head as he walked away. "Then let's find something that can."

For a supposed high-roller, Firith was dressed in rather shabby clothing and Faith didn't see any luggage around his small room. He was playing with a deck of cards when they arrived and didn't seem happy to be interrupted. "You here with the Selkath? You here to see me about the murder, too? I told the damn fish everything I knew. What more do you all want from me?"

"Just the facts," Faith said. She smiled at Jolee. "Always wanted to say that."

With a sigh, Firith stepped away from the door and motioned them in. "I'll tell you what I told the Selkath, though you seem a friendlier sort than they do. On the night of the murder, I was in my room minding my own business with the latest copy of Pazaak weekly - checking out listings for the big tournament that's going to be held here next month. That's when I heard a blaster shot. Being still alive - and therefore smart enough not to stick my head out immediately - I didn't go out right away."

"So, you didn't actually see the murder?"

"No," he admitted. "One of the things one learns as a professional gambler is when to look the other way. Men wind up dead, otherwise. Anyway, I looked out after a minute and saw Gluupor in the hall by Elassa's room, and Sunry running like the wind. You can't tell me that someone who was running like that - and he was pretty fast for a cripple - isn't guilty."

"Do you know much about Sunry?"

"I only heard of him once or twice in passing. Some sort of old-time war hero against the Sith. Seen him around in the hotel, too. Going to Elassa's room always, of course. Kept the rest of the building up half the night with their damn antics, usually."

"Antics?" Jolee said sharply. "Let me get this straight - Sunry was sleeping with Elassa?" _Damn you! You told me this was an assignment for the Republic, not...What else did you lie about that I had better not learn?_

"I'm not saying anything like that - part of my trade, remember? What they did in that room, in private, is their business. And there isn't a rule against Sith and Republics seeing each other for...personal reasons." Firith gave a knowing leer at Jolee. "Although if you think her Sith Master didn't know, you must be fooling yourself."

"Sith Master?" he asked.

This seemed to make Firith very uncomfortable. "Um...well, Elassa was a Sith, so of course she'd have to have someone above her. Yeah, I didn't see anything..."

"Sure you didn't," said Faith. "Why else would you be squirming like someone stuffed a gizka in your shorts?"

"You learn things in my profession, too, son. One of them is that when someone's tongue slips like that, there's something under those words." Jolee fixed him with a glare.

The man swallowed. "Well...there was that one time. I saw Elassa coming in wearing this big cloak. I was on my way to my room, and she normally wears stuff like that, so I didn't pay her too much attention. But that one time, I brushed up against her - accidentally, of course - and her cloak fell open. Now, I don't have problems with the Sith! I leave them alone and they leave me alone. And seeing as how Elassa had a Sith lightsaber under her cloak, I'm not going to poke that hornet's nest."

"A Sith lightsaber, you say?" asked Jolee. "Miss Huros was a Dark Jedi?"

Firith shrugged. "Seems so, but I'm not getting myself further in with the Sith. I know how ruthless they are. Now, that's all I'm going to tell you. I'll testify it to the court, but you aren't going to get anything else out of me."

"Thank you for the help. I'm starting to understand what went on here," Jolee said. He turned and headed out, his face more drawn than before as he muttered under his breath. "You better not be guilty, Sunry…because I might kill you myself."

The last witness, Gluupor, fit Ignus's description of a shifty Rhodian. His accent was thick, and his dialect was a little hard to translate, even with aid from the Force and their translators.

"Gluupor tell everything to Selkath. You not know? Gluupor have no reason not to say. Gluupor tell everything. Everything about murder, everything about Sith lady's room."

"Why were you at the hotel? Seems a little fancy," Faith asked.

"Gluupor staying at hotel. Gluupor not very rich - hotel much too rich for Gluupor to live at, but Gluupor save for weeks and have enough to stay here for a few days. Gluupor not see murder, oh no. Gluupor did see Republic guy...the cripple...Sunry his name, Gluupor thinks. Gluupor see Sunry running away from scene of the crime. Gluupor see nothing else. Nothing else at all. Especially in Sith lady's room!"

"Sure," Faith said suspiciously. "So you didn't see anything."

"Gluupor just curious...just curious to see what had happened. Gluupor have no reason to go into room...no one pay Gluupor to do it."

Faith looked over at Jolee and nodded. Gluupor just talked himself into a trap, and Jolee was going to play it for all he had.

Jolee crossed his arms. "Someone paid you to do something in that room, Gluupor."

"How you know someone pay Gluupor?"

"Well, first," Faith said. "Never bring up that someone 'didn't' pay you if the issue doesn't come up. Go ahead and talk. It's not like the Sith are here."

The alien swallowed. "Well, Sith man came up to Gluupor after murder, before Selkath arrive. He say he give Gluupor good money if Gluupor put medal into Sith's hand. Gluupor good. Gluupor plant evidence and leave no trace. But Gluupor not recognize Sith man anyway. Gluupor not recognize humans very well."

"Well, that certainly sounds interesting. Why didn't you tell the Selkath?" Jolee asked.

"No use to Selkath, so not bother to tell them. Well, that and the Sith man say he kill Gluupor if Gluupor speaks. Uh...oh, no... Gluupor think... Gluupor think he can't talk more right now. Gluupor feels the need to lie down. Maybe just stay here... "

The Rhodian fell into the bed and pulled the covers over his snout. Jolee sighed and made more notes on the datapad. Mission patted the covered lump as the two of them left the room.

"Well, there's the witnesses," Faith said. "And while we got a lot of useful stuff, it just doesn't solve the case."

"I know, Mission. I know." The pieces were coming together, but Jolee wasn't certain what to make of the picture. Sunry cheating on Elora with a Dark Jedi? The Hero's Cross was definitely planted by the Sith, but Sunry had been seen fleeing the murder scene after the blaster shot went off.

Faith could see the wheels turning in Jolee's mind and sighed. "Look…I hate to say it but the evidence is pretty damn stacked."

"We don't know that he killed her," Jolee bit out.

"I'm not talking about the murder. I mean it's pretty damn clear he was cheating on his wife with this Sith."

"That bugs you?" Jolee asked sharply. "That he'd cheat on her?"

Faith looked away. "I'm not in exactly the right position to judge. I once slept with Buffy's boyfriend."

That got Jolee's attention. "Really?"

"Yeah but to be fair, I was in her body at the time so he didn't know I was cheating."

Jolee stared at her before smiling slightly. "That's what I love about you two. I can never tell whether or not you're serious.

"Try telling now." Faith stopped in front of him. "I know he's your friend, Jolee. I know you want to help him. But if he turns out to be guilty…"

Jolee was looking down, for once not showing any of his usual confidence. "He's a good man, Faith."

"He was," she pressed. "You said it yourself. Twenty years changes people. Believe me, I've changed a lot from the person I once was and so has Buffy. We already know he's cheating on his wife. We know he was consorting with a Sith. You think murder is that big a leap from there?"

Jolee let out a long sigh. "I just…it hurts to see someone like that fall so far."

Faith brushed her hair back. "Well, you could always take my usual philosophy for life. Just assume that every other person you meet is full of crap and you won't be hurt as much."

Jolee looked at her, his lips turning upward slightly. "That work out for you?"

"Used to," Faith admitted as they continued on. "Although this trip is shaking that philosophy a bit."

"Ah, now you show wisdom beyond your years," the elder Jedi said, giving a smile that didn't quite match the look in his eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Buffy, Bastila, Vance, Juhani and T3 were immediately led into the office of the Republic Embassy's commander. Wann's eyes lit up as he saw the data module placed before him. "Excellent! It does not appear to have been tampered with, so the Sith did not manage to copy its contents yet."

"We have you what you want," Bastila stated in a calm but professional tone. "And we expect our payment."

"Yes...your information." He dropped his voice, almost a formality. "We are not supposed to speak of this, but we have exhausted all other options. I think we can entrust you with this."

"What's gone wrong?" Vance asked.

"As you know, the Republic is fighting for its very existence against the evil of the Sith Empire. As you undoubtedly know, we are doing very poorly. We need much in the way of supplies and material to stem the tide of battle and bring us victory. Manaan is the sole source of kolto, the most powerful medical substance in the galaxy. Frankly, we need as much of it as we can get."

"What has the Republic done?" Juhani asked, though she seemed to suspect the answer already.

"The Selkath conservatives with their neutrality treaties seek to treat the Sith and Republic equally. This includes kolto exports. But a few of the more far-sighted Selkath see that if the Sith are allowed to win, the galaxy would be plunged into darkness and there would be nothing to stop them from taking Manaan anyway." Wann pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "So, we made a deal..."

"You violated the treaty," Juhani said, scowling.

"Not so loud!" Wann looked about as if expecting a squad of Selkath to storm in at any moment. "Yes, it is a technical violation of the treaty, but it is sanctioned by elements of the Selkath government."

Buffy threw up her hands. "I don't believe it. A totally different galaxy and yet the 'good guys' feel free to break any rules they want!" She turned to Bastila. "I keep telling you, you need a Prime Directive…" She closed her eyes. "Oh, God, I hung out with Xander and Andrew way too long…"

Wann sighed. "I know this is wrong and even dangerous, but to the Senate, it seemed to outweigh the risks. We need only keep it secret from the Sith. We recently began construction of a secret underwater facility to harvest kolto directly at its source. We also hope one day to be able to synthesize it effectively. Current techniques are insufficient for the task, so we must mine it for now. The amount we take would hardly be noticed, since most of it is lost naturally before it reaches the surface anyway."

"And?" Bastila pressed, not happy about learning this.

"We were nearing completion of the base when the digging teams reported some sort of obstruction, an ancient building or artifact. It's possibly your 'Star Map.' Transmissions from the base were cut off abruptly after that, and we haven't heard from the station since."

"What happened down there?" Vance asked.

Wann helplessly spread his hands. "We don't know. We just don't know. As you may have noticed, we are hiring a lot of mercenaries around Ahto City. Ostensibly, they're being shipped off-world to aid in our fight against the Sith, but they really are for another purpose. When we lost contact with the station in the Hrakert rift, we sent our contingent of Republic soldiers to investigate. None returned. We tried hiring mercenaries and sending them down as well, but none of those expeditions have returned, either."

"And no further contact at all?" As she spoke, Buffy saw that T3 had plugged himself into a nearby console. She held her breath, wondering what was going on but deciding to do her best to keep Wann distracted.

"None," the commander replied. "The reason we really sent that droid underwater - and the reason we needed its data back so badly - was to find out what had happened to the Hrakert Rift station. But now that we have the data back, our operation is no longer in danger of exposure to the Sith. And now I must live up to my end of the bargain."

"How are we to get down there?" Juhani asked.

"I took the liberty of having a submarine prepared for your departure. Merely use this card to get past the door behind our kolto packing room and enter the sub therein. It has been programmed to take you down to the station. It has also been programmed to take you to the surface once your mission is complete."

"Very well," Buffy said.

"I would send soldiers to assist you, but we have lost many of ours, and nearly exhausted the mercenary population of this planet. The soldiers we have are barely enough to keep this base secure. Worse, the Sith have noticed our interest and begun to bribe mercenaries away from us. Please, find out what happened to the facility. There may be some survivors left down there, perhaps even the head scientist - Kono Nolan. Good luck in your efforts."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Now I remember why I left the Republic fleet," Vance remarked. "I swear, sometimes I wonder if we're not better off with the Sith in charge."

"Do not go down that path," Bastila said sharply. "I admit their methods are not exactly proper but the Republic is trying to help their efforts."

"Back home, you'd get a great job with a cable news station as a spin doctor, Bastila," Buffy remarked. "We're gonna need more firepower before we get down there. Juhani, get back to the ship with T3. Tell Canderous and HK to meet with us."

"Probably a good idea," Vance noted. "Leaving those two up in this city is just asking for trouble."

Buffy glanced at T3. "Just what were you doing in the records, anyway?"

The droid let out a series of beeps that Vance translated. "Looks like he wanted to see if there was anything else the Republic was keeping from us."

"Goody. I always love showing how unreliable people are," Buffy sardonically stated as they walked along. "Come on. Let's get our swim fins on."

The group was unaware of the metallic probe droid that hung above, tracking their movements. In a room in the lower level of the Sith Embassy, a trio of dark-clad men stared at the readouts. "Shall we intercept when they leave, Lord Bandon?" one of the Dark Jedi asked.

The armor-clad Sith Lord shook his head. "No. Whatever the Republic is tracking down there is worth finding for ourselves. Monitor all vehicles leaving the Embassy. We shall let them discover what dangers are below."

Darth Bandon let out a dark smile. "And then…we shall ensure a cold wet grave for all of them."


	7. Chapter 7

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

A benefit of never having been in a serious relationship (or any real relationship for that matter), Faith concluded, was that she avoided the inevitable heartaches it brought.

That conclusion was coming to the fore as she sat in the small apartment Elora and Sunry owned. It wasn't too lavish but comfortable and showed the signs of long-time residence. Elora herself was sitting by the table with Jolee next to her. The woman was doing her best to be brave but Faith knew it was a front.

"Jolee, I can't thank you enough for this," Elora was saying as she was sipping her tea. "With you helping him, I know Sunry will be cleared of this horrible misunderstanding soon."

Jolee was quiet, looking away and Faith stepped in. "It may not be so easy."

"What do you mean?" Elora frowned. "Sunry is obviously innocent!"

"Depends on your definition of innocent," Faith dryly noted.

Elora's frown deepened. "What? What do you mean?"

"Elora," Jolee broke in, his voice sober and serious. "I've been doing some checking and I've found out some things about Sunry that you may not like to hear."

There was a flash of something in Elora's eyes and Faith and Jolee both realized the same thing. She knew what they were going to say. "Elora," Jolee went on. "He was having an affair, wasn't he?"

Elora's eyes went wide but they could tell she wasn't at all surprised to hear this. "Of...of course not! He...he..." Her voice broke into sobs. "Yes. Yes, he was having an affair. He was seeing that...that Sith woman." Her voice changed, almost a snarl as the anger and betrayal she'd kept hidden for so long came boiling forth. "After all these years we've been together, he just...just dropped me like that. Not publicly, oh no, but...inside, that's what it felt like. He started seeing Elassa last year. I...I had my suspicions for a while, but he was careless. Pretty soon, everyone knew. But even though he cheated on me, he's still the man I loved..." She wiped at her eyes as she tried to collect herself.

"Elora, I..." Jolee wasn't sure what to say. "He may not be so innocent."

She stared at him, her shock for real this time. "I...I can't believe...You can't believe that he'd kill someone in cold blood, do you?"

"Elora, that's just it. I looked at Sunry and saw a man I don't know anymore. I don't even know if it's possible to save him."

"But you're his Arbiter! You...you have to try."

"Yes, I do," he said reluctantly. "Thank you, Elora." He rose and turned to go. Faith gave the woman a long look before following him out.

"Were you and her a couple once?" she asked as soon as she was out of the apartment. "I know you don't exactly fit with the classic Jedi rules."

"No," Jolee replied. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. But…we just couldn't hurt Sunry like that."

"And yet he decides to do it to her." Faith snorted. "Irony may be dead at home but it's alive and well in this galaxy."

Jolee rubbed a hand over his smooth skull. "Let's get back to the ship. I need to think about this more."

Faith followed him, trying to hide her own nervousness at the thought of just who was waiting back at the ship for them.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Query: Master, just how does one get a bottle of beer on the wall? Follow-up query: Why would you continue to pass them around to other meatbags?"

"Just an old song from my world," Buffy replied as she shuffled in her seat. She and Vance were seated in the middle of the submersible. Canderous was at the controls next to Bastila and HK sat in the rear. The submersible was top of the line and handling the pressures of the ocean well. However, it was also claustrophobic and thus added to the tension the group already found themselves under.

Despite having been in space numerous times in the last few years, Buffy still found herself fascinated by the view outside the port windows. Phosphorescent fish darted among dark beds of kelp. Giant firaxan sharks as big as their submersible passed within meters of them. Rock formations were akin to high-rise apartments, layering many crustaceans, water insects, and tentacled life forms in a discernible pattern that changed gradually as they descended.

With the pressures at the depths, only the firaxan sharks and a few hardy fish made their home here. Some sea plants had adapted as well, clinging to the depths and swaying with the current. Canderous coolly piloted past the wreckage that used to be the station.

"Damn," Vance remarked. "Whatever happened did a number on this place." He could see an entire section of the facility was caved in on itself and there were marks of damage all over the outside hull.

Bastila leaned in to check the readouts before her. "The south side is flooded, but I'm reading two sets of life forms," she said. "One is near to the kolto processing at the south-east corner. The other set is in the northern half of the station. Much of that part is surprisingly intact."

They pulled into the docking bay and rose to the submersible berth. Applying the anchoring gear, Bastila opened the hatch, allowing them to exit the craft. It was like a watery grave; the life supports barely functioned, and the station was dying by millimeters as its pressure seals leaked slowly, like the walls were crying. Small creaks and groans were amplified, and the sound of distant Selkath voices could be heard. The air was breathable, but bitterly cold. Stale air reeked of ocean water and rotting flesh. It did not appear to affect Canderous, and it certainly didn't matter to HK-47, but the other shivered through their robes.

There were several bloodied bodies in the docking bay, looking as if they were set upon and literally torn into pieces. It was barely a taste of things to come. The door on the far end opened. A shaking, green-skinned Twi'lek pointed his blaster at them.

"How...how did you get in? Did they send another submersible? Quick, we have to get out of there. We have to get away!"

Bastila raised her hands. "Please, slow down...calm yourself."

"No!" he stammered. "We have no time, we have to leave now! I managed to close the door after they killed everyone else, but I don't know how long it will hold."

"What happened here?" she asked.

"The Selkath, they went crazy! They started killing anything that moved! Someone must have triggered the defense systems, too, because all the droids activated as well. I was one of the mercs the Republic sent down here to find out what happened."

"Some excuse for a merc," Canderous said.

"What became of the scientists?" Bastila asked.

"They're dead! All dead! We came down and secured the first couple rooms. There were bodies everywhere. And the Selkath came out - screaming and croaking their fishy little war-cries." His eyes were wide with horror. "They swarmed out and over us. There was no way we could stop them. So, we ran, but hardly any of us made it. I locked the door behind us, but...but the others had already left in the submersible! The sharks...the firaxa out there and...worse...I heard an explosion shortly after the submersible left. They didn't make it. Just food for the sharks and the Selkath...like us."

Buffy nodded. "Let's get you back to the surface."

"Back to the surface? Yes...NO! there's something out there. It got the other submersible already. "

HK-47 turned his metal head to Buffy. "Suggestion: Perhaps we could dismember the organic? It would make it easier for transport to the surface."

This made the mercenary shake even harder. "You…you can't do that? Rip me to pieces! I'll die!"

"Amendment," said the assassin droid grudgingly. "I did forget that. Stupid, frail, non-compartmentalized meat-bags!"

"We can't leave until you do something," the Twi'lek insisted. "Blow up the entire station, maybe. That might distract whatever it is long enough for us to escape to the surface. But all the machinery and stuff is in the southern half, and that's already flooded. There might be environmental suits around but...but...the Selkath might have laid their eggs in them!"

"Wait here, then. We have to get into the station," Bastila said.

"No! I locked the doors so that the Selkath won't get in. If you open it, we're done for."

"We'll deal with that. You get in the submersible and wait for us."

He stared at them like they had gone mad. "If you go in there, you're dead - you're all dead! If you want to die, then go! You won't hear me mourning for you. I'll stay here and be safe until some kind of real rescue comes!"

Canderous pushed past the frightened man in disgust. "Don't get your hopes up too high. I have no intention of dying."

"And I have no intention of doing a hat trick," Buffy remarked.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Juhani noted the way the tension in the room rose when Faith and Jolee entered. Carth looked up at her, then quickly looked away and Faith mirrored the reaction. The feline Jedi raised an eyebrow as she watched the two enter. "Are things well?"

"Not as well as I'd hoped," Jolee remarked, settling into a chair. "The evidence about murder may be a frame but in regards to Sunry's love life…"

"Ah, about that," Mission spoke up. "Um…I think T3's got something to show you." She motioned to the small droid. "I was talking to him and he mentioned he downloaded some files from the Republic embassy and one of them…well…" She shook her tentacles. "Go ahead, T3."

The droid let out a beep and his hologram emitter turned on. The group watched an image captured from a security camera. It showed Sunry and Elassa together, in a kiss, her in a short robe, him in uniform. She smiled and turned away and in a move surprisingly fast for his age, Sunry pulled out his blaster and let out a shot right in her back. Elassa was frozen, her face in shock before collapsing on the ground. Sunry stared at her body, as if unable to believe what he had done. Then, he limped out as fast as he could.

The image faded and the room was filled with a stunned silence. Jolee sank into a chair, rubbing over his face. "Dammit…dammit…dammit!" He leapt up and kicked the console, T3 letting out a startled whistle as he backed out of the way.

Faith shut her eyes. "I'm sorry, Jolee. I am."

"_What are you going to do?"_ Zaalbar asked.

"I don't know," Jolee admitted. "I really don't."

Carth took a deep breath. "I know this is going to sound wrong but…maybe we should keep this quiet." As everyone stared at him in shock, he quickly went on. "If the Selkath learn a Republic officer killed a Sith in cold blood, it could lead to sanctions against us. The economy is on the ropes as it is, if we can't afford kolto, the Sith get the advantage."

"So we should just turn a blind eye to what he did?" Juhani snapped. "To murder?"

Carth glared at her. "Things aren't so simple now, Juhani. I'm sorry but there's a war on and the fate of the Republic takes precedence over some things."

Juhani leaned toward him. "If we ignore something like this then what does that say about the Republic and what it stands for?"

"_She is right,_" Zaalbar grumbled. _"It does not matter what his intentions were, he should pay for his crimes. My people understand that." _

"But the war…" Carth argued.

"Quiet!" Jolee turned to face them. "I'm the Arbiter. He's my friend. I'll decide what to do." With that, he turned and marched away to his quarters. Faith and Carth locked eyes and without a word, turned to walk in opposite directions.

Mission just sighed deeply. "Man, I'm hoping my own romance isn't this complicated."

"_I will ensure that,"_ Zaalbar stated. _"By bodily threat if necessary."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The air inside the facility was thick and musty, the life support systems barely working. The group carefully made their way around, all alert for any danger. HK took the lead, his receptors sweeping in various directions. His head stopped swiveling. "Observation: My sonic sensors indicate sounds coming out of that locker, Master." HK suddenly noted, pointing his disruptor riffle at the plasteel object nearby. As if the locker was whimpering…

"Is somebody out there?" a high-pitched voice asked, from within the locker, "Fishy, fishy, fishy? Coming to eat me, too? You can't get me little fishy. Not in here. I'm safe behind my walls."

Come out," Buffy called. "It's safe."

"Oh, you'd like that - wouldn't you?" the maniac said, "I walk out and - BAM! Selkath swarm in from everywhere, ripping and rending! Fishy move fast and silent."

"Come out from there right now, or we'll blast our way in," Canderous snapped.

"Ha-ha! That's what you think! Fishy think that too. These walls and door are six centimeters - no... twelve centimeters! - of durasteel! I'm invulnerable behind my walls! Nobody's getting in here!" he said, laughing maniacally.

"Statement: I'll blast you into little fish-bits, meatbag!" HK snapped at the idiot hidden in the locker, already preparing his blaster

"Just leave him, HK," Vance ordered. "We'll come back later."

HK let out a disappointed beep before following him on. They headed down a series of corridors that wound around, one surrounded by thick glass and showing the ocean around them. They stopped as they saw a figure in a yellow pressure suit trying to walk along the surface. It saw them, waving its hands and coming toward them.

Before he got a few steps, a dark shadow suddenly sailed in out of nowhere. The figure turned just in time to see a massive creature that to Buffy resembled a great white shark on steroids. Its jaw was wide open, the teeth gleaming and it swung in and chomped the figure down with one bite. There was a burst of red around and metal around the mouth as the firaxa flew on.

"Damn," Vance muttered. "These things aren't supposed to be so…hostile."

"Maybe whatever's made the Selkath go bananas hit them too," Buffy noted.

"All the more reason to go on," Bastila stated. "HK, find those life signs and lead us to them."

"Statement: I do not enjoy being bossed around, Jedi metabag but I shall do as you say."

He was leading the way when a gurgled roar caught their ears. They turned to see a pair of Selkath rushing toward them. Their eyes seemed glazed, their faces carrying rage as the raced in with surprising speed. One was holding a blaster, the other a sharp pipe.

Without a pause, HK hauled his rifle up and let out a stream of fire that cut the two aliens down. One still tried to crawl forward but falling limp. "Well, that was interesting," Vance noted dryly.

Buffy shook her head. "This is definitely not normal behavior for these guys." She glared at HK. "Did you have to cut them down like that?"

"Statement: Master, I would think some gratitude is warranted but of course, that would be too much to ask, yes?" He turned his head to the side. "I am detecting two more life signs from that chamber there."

The two life signs they had read earlier were waiting for them behind a high-level forcefield. Unfortunately, it became clear they were only slightly saner than the Selkath. The man was wild-eyed, looking like he hadn't slept much in days. The few days' growth of beard and clothing stained in Selkath blood added to his feral appearance. He carried a stained vibroblade. Equally animalistic-looking was a disheveled looking woman of Buffy's approximate height and build, clutching a blaster in her slim, dark fingers.

Upon seeing them, the man shouted. "No - no, you can't come in here! You'll let the firaxa and the Selkath in! No. Stay out! Stay out! I won't let you open the doors for those monsters to get in."

"Sir –" Bastila tried to speak to him, but he was past reason. The doors around them slammed shut, trapping the party inside. The man continued to rant.

"I'll stop you." He laughed unsteadily. "I'll suck all the pressure out of the chamber! That'll stop you."

"Kill them. Kill them all!" shrieked the woman.

There was a hiss of air being sucked out of the chamber as it became hard to breathe very quickly. Buffy pulled back her robe to show them her lightsaber, reaching out with her emotions as well as her words. "Please!" she said between gasps. "Stop this. You'll kill...kill yourselves. We're...we're here to help you...Please!"

Whether it was Force empathy, her words, or both, it got through to the half-crazy man. He slammed the depressurization panel again and slumped to the floor. Welcome, breathable air circulated within the chamber again.

"What...what do you want? Go away! You'll let the firaxa and the Selkath in! They'll get us like they did the others!" He groaned and closed his eyes, starting to babble. "No...the firaxa...the Selkath...I...I can't let you in. they'll get us!"

"I can protect you, I promise. But you're going to have to let us in." Bastila projected her emotions to try and back up her sincerity.

"No, the firaxan will get us. No, the Selkath are coming...No..." said the man.

The woman was in tears, rocking back and forth. "No...no..."

"Forget it," muttered Canderous. "They've utterly lost their minds."

"Allow Buffy her chance," Bastila said. "She seems to be getting through to them."

"Shh...shhh...they're gone. I'll protect you. You're safe," Buffy's voice was like that of a mother soothing a small child's nightmare. The spell of insanity seemed to break like a fever, and the man shakily rose to his feet.

"I...I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone. I'll unlock the door, but you have to come in quickly!" He lowered the forcefield and the three of them entered what had once been the station's harvest monitoring room. The man made a shaky apology. "I...I'm sorry for what I did. I don't know what came over me. I...I panicked when I heard someone outside the door. Please forgive me. I'm just so scared. I am Kono Nolan, and this is Sami. We were scientists working here on the Hrakert rift project."

"We're both scared," said the woman.

"The Republic sent us to help," Buffy stated.

Dr. Nolan shook his head. "When the Selkath went crazy, I thought everybody except Sami and me went mad. We had a few people outside the station when it happened."

"The firaxan sharks just tore them apart!" said Sami. "It was like they were frenzied!"

Nolan continued. "The next thing we know, our Selkath researchers started screaming and...clawing at everything around them. My team...my team was torn apart and eaten before my eyes! Sami and me...I...I thought we were the only ones left. We heard the Selkath outside at the doors every once in a while, and those strange noises echoing through the base."

Sami's voice could barely get above a whisper. "We thought everyone was dead - dead or insane."

"What could have driven the Selkath mad?" Bastila said.

"We don't know...not for sure," Sami said.

"The work teams were outside in the rift near the vent," said Nolan. "Then there was this rumbling and my head felt like it was splitting open..."

"This...this monster rose up from the rift. It was a firaxan shark, I think...bigger than any I'd seen before. Bigger than our submersibles..." Sami put her hands to her temples. "It was like it was screaming inside my head."

Nolan shook his head. "Then all the Selkath started screaming too...and turned on us."

Buffy paused, both digesting their words and using her empathy to listen harder to the presence she felt outside the station. "The shark...it was protecting something..."

"It may...it may have been," Nolan said. "Maybe it was protecting the ruins by the rift. It could have been. It might have a lair in the Hrakert rift near the kolto vent. Hmmm...that might explain a few things, too..."

"Like what, exactly?" said Bastila.

"Like why it reacted so violently when our construction efforts got closer to the vent, and why it is so large. It must be feeding off the kolto. It would have to be ancient indeed for it to reach that size, but with kolto as a food source..." Nolan was back in scientist-mode, analyzing and interpreting what he had seen.

Sami got to her feet, equally back in her element as she talked to Nolan. "And all those other firxan sharks. Those might be its offspring."

Nolan nodded. "This may be why they all swarmed when it called out to them - children coming to protect their mother."

"You mentioned ancient ruins that it may have been guarding. Did you learn anything about them? I've heard of an artifact. It's black metal, three meters tall, has three large spires centered on three smaller spires..." Bastila asked.

"We did find something like that in the ruins," Nolan confirmed. "But I don't know anything about it...the ruins were excavated when we were digging the foundations for the last section of the harvesting machine. But we can't go anywhere near those now. Maybe...maybe that's why it all happened in the first place."

"Where is this mother firaxan now?" asked Vance.

"I don't know," Nolan admitted. "It must still be out there."

Sami held her hands to her temples, the madness starting to drag her back. "Out there...waiting for us."

"Is there anything that can be done about it?" Canderous said brusquely.

"The firaxan sharks have always been a serious problem," said Nolan. "We had some blasters and projectile weapons to defend ourselves against them, but they still got some of our workers from time to time."

Sami elaborated. "We were working on a soluble chemical compound that would drive them away. Something that smelled or tasted repulsive to them, but we never got it working right."

Nolan shook his head. "Oh, I think not! Even flawed like it is, it should be ideal for this situation."

Sami grabbed Nolan's arms, pleading with him. "No! It's not working right, Kono! You don't know what it will do." She turned to the party. "The repellant we made was supposed to drive firaxan sharks away, but instead, was violently toxic to them, rupturing their outer skin and preventing them from drawing oxygen from the water by clogging their intakes".

"Which is exactly what we need in this situation!" argued Nolan "Something to kill that monster shark that destroyed our station."

"But we don't know how the chemical reacts! We only tried it in a controlled environment, and you saw what it did - not just to the sharks, either. In the open ocean, who knows what it can do. It could even affect the kolto."

"We know exactly what it will do: it will kill that shark. That's what we designed it to do!" Nolan folded his arms, unwilling to hear any further appeals.

"Destroy the shark. Sounds like a good plan," Canderous said. "Simple and effective."

"And do Force-knows-what to the Rift and the kolto? Surely there is another option," Bastila countered.

Sami turned from Nolan to float her theory. "Well, the monster seems to have been driven out by the machinery we installed at the edge of the Rift. We've seen it out there on the cameras bashing itself against the machines. I think if you destroy the machinery we installed, the shark would calm down and retreat back into its lair within the rift. You can reprogram the harvesting machines to over pressurize their self-oxidizing fuel so that the fuel tank canisters will rupture and the entire machine will destroy itself."

"But we'll lose everything we've built here - all those years of work," Nolan wailed.

"It's better than what your chemical will do to the water," Sami said.

Vance thought about and handed his lightsaber to Buffy. "Here. I'll go."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Buffy argued. "I should go out there! I'm the more experienced Jedi!"

"Vance, she may be right," Bastila began.

Vance shook his head, already moving to the closet nearby. "Sorry, I already volunteered. I did some underwater work on a job on Kolto years back. I know how to handle the pressure better."

Buffy paused before putting her hand in his. "Hey…" she softly said. "Be careful out there."

Vance gave her a smile as he squeezed her hand back. "Count on it."

It did not take him long to suit up and be out the airlock onto the rift. Two narrow encounters with the firaxans later, he had managed to get close to the kolto harvester. His movement was an awkward bobbing motion as he braced herself against the station's edge. The harvester, an enormous machine at the far end boasted, two containers of fuel. "I see it," he talked over his communicator.

In the control room over at the facility, Sami leaned over the console. "The best way to blow it up is to tamper with the gas mixture in the fuel cells – at four million units, it will become explosive. You'll have to move fast when it's done."

"Roger," Vance noted. "Starting to fill injector pod. Three million sangen and counting."

The others watched her closely on the monitor. Buffy had also suited up, leaving the helmet off should a swift intervention be needed.

Canderous seemed disappointed. "Told him venting the toxin would be easier."

Bastila shook her head. "And if we somehow damaged the kolto? Think of the trouble that would be."

"You may be right," he admitted. "Still, I notice you Jedi never do anything the easy way. Almost makes me want to shoot the lot of you. Unfortunately, you're also too interesting to really enjoy the kill."

"Statement: I must agree with our bloodthirsty meatbag companion, Master! Even were I able to eliminate you, my desire to do so has diminished."

Bastila just gave Buffy a tired look as if blaming her for the droid's presence. Vance's voice cut into the air. "I've got one million sangen in the container pod, three million in the injector. Attempting transfer now."

Buffy was suddenly overcome with dread. "Vance, something isn't right. You've got to set that and get clear – hurry."

"Three point five...three point seven-five..."

"Vance!"

"Don't worry about me. Four!"

A huge explosion rocked the station, causing their minimal light to flicker and sending the scientists sprawling against the wall.

"Vance?" Buffy cried out into the monitor. "Vance, come in!"

Canderous looked at the rubble on the monitors and set his jaw. "Damn it. He didn't make it."

"No," Buffy immediately said. "I can sense him. He's still alive." Without a word, she slammed the helmet onto her head and moved to the airlock. Ignoring Bastila's yell, she marched in, sealed the door shut behind her and then opened the second to enter the ocean.

Moving was slow, painfully slow, since every second meant greater chance that they would not rescue . Under the shattered remains of the kolto harvester was a fissure in the coral, revealing the old ruins that they sought. Buffy could see Vance's yellow envirosuit partially buried under a pile of rock thrown by the blast.

She stopped as a huge shadow flowed over her. The explosion also brought something else from the rift. Looming like a shadow as it emerged from the depths to stand between her and Vance was the largest firaxan shark she had ever seen. Firaxns were normally the size of a man – this one was easily as long as the _Ebon Hawk._

The being stared down at her with its huge eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. Its gaze turned to the broken machinery, taking it in. It returned to Buffy and slowly began to float away. Buffy let out a long breath as it returned to the crevice it had come from.

She heard a moaning over her communicator and turned to see Vance pushing himself out of the debris. She moved as quickly as she could to take his arm and help him up. "Are you okay?" she asked in an excited voice.

He nodded. "Guess so…did it work?"

"We destroyed the machine and it looks like that was enough to get that…thing out of the way," Buffy answered. A glint caught her eye. "And I think we also found something else."

Vance followed her gaze to see the familiar outline of the Star Map before them. "Well, that's a lucky break."

"Let's go get it before the break breaks," Buffy said.

"That doesn't make sense…"

"It does in my world."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They let out gasps in unison as they removed their helmets and shrugged the suits off. Bastila and Canderous helped them shed the suits as the two scientists stared with different reactions.

"That shark..." Sami could barely speak. "Oh, we saw it all on the cameras! That creature...the giant firaxan shark, the guardian of the kolto, or whatever it was, seems to have calmed down."

"More than that," Buffy said. "She's sentient."

"Incredible... " Sami said. "We saw it, but...well, you're the Jedi, not me. Destroying the machinery was the right thing to do for everyone."

"The hell it was!" Nolan interjected, his face furious. "I can't believe what you did. How could you willfully destroy the kolto machinery? That will set us back years. I will have you know that when we get back to the surface, I'll have the Republic do a full inquiry into your actions! Now, get back to the surface and get the Republic to send a real rescue team down for us."

"We're guests here, Dr. Nolan," Bastila said gently. "File what reports you like, but the planet belongs to the Selkath."

"Arrogant Jedi..." Nolan stormed off behind one of the doors to start swearing.

Sami smiled. "Don't mind him. He'll eventually realize you did the right thing. And so will the Selkath."

Bastila nodded. "We shall make sure the Republic sends a rescue craft down at once."

"Thank you," Sami said. "We'll start gathering our data."

The group soon made their way back to the docks. "So we've got another piece of the map," Buffy intoned. "Next stop is Korriban."

"A Sith world?" Canderous snorted. "Sounds pretty dangerous."

"As opposed to the pleasure cruise this trip has been so far?" Buffy said. She stopped suddenly, as did Bastila and Vance. Canderous and HK were confused as the door before them suddenly slid open to reveal three figures in black. The middle one smiled, the dim lights glinting off his bald head.

"I had feared something else had killed you and robbed me of the pleasure," Darth Bandon intoned as he lit both ends of his lightsaber. "But now…you shall feel the full power of the Sith."

**A longer chapter this time around. Next one wraps up Manaan with the fight with Bandon, the resolution of Sunry's fate and a bit of romantic entanglement. **


	8. Chapter 8

Slayers of the Old Republic

Book VI: Manaan

By Michael Weyer

In the brief time they'd known him, the crew of the _Ebon Hawk_ had seen Jolee as a mostly laid-back and humorous man. He could be a bit intense when in battle or during one of his arguments with Bastila but overall, the elder Jedi radiated an air of calm.

The air was now a storm of barely contained rage that made Carth, Faith and Juhani keep several steps behind him. Jolee marched down the streets, his face set in a hard expression. They passed by a few people who seemed upset at first over being brushed aside. One look at Jolee's face and they were willing to give him a wide berth.

Without breaking his stride, Jolee entered the prison center, giving the warden a quick nod and marching right up to Sunry's cell. The soldier smiled and rose from his small seat to face him. "Jolee. Good to see you. Any progress?"

Jolee could barely keep from yelling. "You son of a Hutt."

Sunry was startled. "Wha…Jolee, what are you..."

"I know," he spat. "I know you're guilty, Sunry. I've got the Republic's data recording," he said.

Shock and fear registered on Sunry's face. He shuddered, and his hands quaked more than ever. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. On his fourth attempt to say something, words came out. "So, the truth is out. I never meant to kill her, you know. Never planned to..."

It did not help Jolee's dark mood. "Great Force, man! What were you thinking? How could you go and do that - after all the devotion Elora showed you. How could you break her heart like that?"

He shook his head, but his words betrayed him. "We...I...Oh, no...what this must look like..." He sighed, slumping over in his chair. "Yes. Yes, we were having an affair. I know it was wrong, but I am a weak man. Elassa was beautiful and young - how was I to resist her charms?"

"Ever hear of the words, 'no, I'm married?'" Carth bit out. His own mood seemed darkened, no doubt thinking of his own wife. "Or you could try keeping your pants on."

"I saw everything - more than I ever wanted to see of you, Sunry," Jolee snapped. "I can't believe you'd to that to Elora."

The other man glared at him, his face flushed with anger now. "You're a fine one to talk about Elora."

Faith raised an eyebrow. _I knew it. _Jolee simply shook his head. "I walked - which is what you should have done."

"I loved her!"

Jolee arched one gray eyebrow and glowered at Sunry with contempt.

"Please, I made a terrible mistake getting involved with Elassa, but I was going there to break it off with her." Sunry put his head in his hands. "When I found out she was a Sith spy, using me to gain information, something inside me just snapped." Sunry looked back up at Jolee, pleading. "I...I killed her. Simple, really. But once I realized what I'd done, I...I panicked. I contacted those spies from the Republic to help me. They found the illegal monitoring device that the Sith had planted in the room, altered its recording to hide my part in it and cleared up the evidence. I figured that was the end of it."

"You should have known the truth would come out eventually," Jolee said. "Damn it. How could you do this? You lie to my face, you cheat on Elora, and now you murder a woman in cold blood...and I do not CARE if she was a Sith or not."

"And here I thought you were –"

"Nothing, Sunry. And I don't like getting lied to – _especially_ by people who claim to be my friends." He shook his head. "The Sith wanted information from you, so they spy on you and the mistress. When you killed her, they must have seen the Republic's spies getting rid of the evidence and tried to plant some of their own. How did she end up with your medal, Sunry? Don't bother lying."

"Elassa must have stolen that Hero's Cross from me long ago and given it to her Sith masters like some kind of trophy." Sunry sighed shakily, on the verge of tears. "I just thought I'd misplaced it. But when the Cross turned up on her body, I knew the Sith had put it there." He sighed and looked up at Jolee as the broken old man he was. "So, now you know the whole story, what are you going to do about it?"

Jolee shook his head. "You're going to have to confess, save yourself. We go to court, and I won't lie for you. I can argue on your behalf, but you will not add me to the list of liars."

"You think I'm some kind of monster, don't you?" Sunry roared. "All I did was kill a Sith. How many have you killed? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands?"

"That's different, Sunry, and we both know it. We do not kill them in cold blood while they sleep."

"I don't see how the two of us are any different. She was a spy! She was using me to get information so Malak's army could destroy the Republic. She deserved to die!"

"Killing your mistress while she sleeps is murder, even if she is a Sith. I can't believe this. You were once a man of decency, of character..."

"If I confess, they will execute me, Jolee. And Ahto City officials might even place kolto sanctions on the Republic embassy. Without kolto, how can we treat injuries to our soldiers on the front lines?"

"Damn it, Sunry. We both know those are excuses. You have to own up for your actions!"

"No, I can't do that and put the Republic's supply of kolto in danger. No, I won't!" He slumped in the chair like the defeated old man he was. "I may have done something stupid, and it may only be worse for my standing by it, but I will not confess. If you turn me in, the Republic will likely lose its kolto export privileges and we'll lose the war for sure. Are you going to send all those soldiers to their deaths, just for your sense of 'justice'?"

"Sunry, this is wrong, and you know it. I am a Jedi. What is it that you expect me to do to defend your actions?"

"I know what I did, but I also know what's at stake here. No, I'll rot in here if I have to, but I won't betray the Republic. Do what you have to, but know what the consequences will be."

Jolee thought in silence before he stood up. "I'll tell the warden to begin the trial."

He turned to go but Faith suddenly brushed past him, marching up and leaning on the cell. "You wanna talk excuses for killing, save it. I've done that. I killed a guy once. He got in my way during a fight and I staked him in the heart and you know what? I didn't feel a damn thing about it."

That got her surprised stares from her companions. Faith just went on, her face tighter as she spoke. "I killed a couple other folks and same deal, I didn't feel anything. It just got colder inside me, damn cold and I figured that was the only way to live. The person who should have been like a sister to me, I treated like the bad guy, hurt her as bad as I could. I ended up in a coma and then tried to go back to being that way but guess what? There was no reason for it and I knew it. So I faced up to what I did and spent time in the slammer for it.

"I got out eventually because the one guy who took a chance on me needed help. I kept on fighting, helping out the gal I screwed over big-time earlier. That sort of got me here. But I don't forget what I did. I still see him in my mind at night. And I know that throwing out all the justifications you want won't stop that pain. So maybe what you need is to face up to it, buddy. You did the crime, you gotta pay the price." She backed away, shaking her head. "Who knows, you might actually earn some redemption someday…not that you deserve it."

She began to march off, pushing past the group, who stared after her. Jolee gazed back at Sunry. "I'll tell the warden we're ready," he said in a toneless voice. "Whatever happens…you have no one to blame but yourself." With that, he turned and walked off. Sunry simply slumped back in his cell, looking every minute of his years.

Carth exited to see Faith leaning on a wall, hands propped on it, head bowed and eyes shut. He saw her tremble, fighting to keep from crying at the memories of her past. He carefully stepped toward, extending a hand.

"Don't," she choked out. "Just…don't right now."

He paused and pulled the hand back. He opened his mouth, then shut it and turned away, leaving a gulf between them.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The thick musty air of the underwater facility was cut by ozone as lightsabers were ignited. Vance's eyes were dark as he took in Bandon. "I remember you," he muttered. "You were on the _Endar Spire._ You killed Trask!"

"Did I?" Bandon thought about it and shrugged. "I don't recall the name. Then again, I've killed so many Republic and Jedi fools, it's hard to keep up."

Bastila stepped forward, her face hard. "I shall give you one chance to leave peacefully, Bandon," she stated in a cool voice. "I remember you from the Academy. Your skills were impressive but not as great as you believed."

Bandon sneered as he lifted his lightsaber. "Ah, but I was being held back by those foolish Codes. My master, Lord Malak, showed me true power. And I shall now show it to you."

"All right, hell with this." Canderous hefted his cannon

"Agreement: Indeed, blood-thirsty meatbag! Let us show these fools how we defend the masters!" HK held his own rifle up and two opened fire. With blinding speed, Bandon and his two Dark Jedi managed to block every shot, sending blaster fire richoting around the room. Bandon threw out his hands and both Canderous and HK were sent flying back. The Mandalorian landed in a pile of debris while HK smashed hard into a wall. Both went down and lay still.

Buffy lunged forward, her lightsaber swinging toward one of the Dark Jedi who blocked it. Vance was quick to attack the other while Bastila faced off with Bandon. The sound of lightsabers clashing filled the room as the combatants squared off.

Bastila backed up, spinning her lightsaber about before striking out. Bandon's own double blade matched her as he thrust out his hand to send a wave of Force energy at her. Bastila blocked it with her own palm, the two bouncing back a bit before going back on the attack.

Buffy leapt over one swing of her opponent and swung her lightsaber at his head. He blocked it as he tried to go on the counterattack. Buffy kept up with him. As usual when fighting like this, she seemed to find herself into a unique zone, with lightsaber and Force so natural to her, as if she had been doing this since childhood. It flowed with her as she pressed the Dark Jedi back, his flashes more desperate as he tried to fight his way past her defenses. She finally managed to sweep past one of his lunges and struck home, her blade slicing through his heart.

Before he dropped, she was rushing to help Vance with his opponent. The Jedi was pressed back against a console as the Sith attacked him, slashing his blade at the man's neck. Vance managed to block it and lunged forward. The Sith was drawing his lightsaber back when he felt Buffy's presence behind him. He turned in time to catch her blade with his own. He leapt back as the two attacked him together.

Nearby, Bastila deflected the dual attacks Bandon made and spun away from him. Bandon thrust out his hand and a blast of lightning rocketed out toward Bastila. The Jedi lifted her sword to deflect the burst and leapt back to avoid any stray blasts. Without warning, she felt herself rocked by a wave of air that sent her flying across the room.

Turning, Bandon was just in time to watch his other Dark Jedi cut down as Vance sliced him across the chest. He charged in, his dual blades flashing. Seeing him, Buffy rushed in and met his charge. Bandon's lightsaber spun about, Buffy blocking each one of the strikes he attempted to make. He waved a hand and a large pipe flew from the floor toward the former Slayer. In one smooth motion, Buffy spun, slicing the pipe in half and still managing to block Bandon's attempt to strike.

Bandon saw Vance rush in to attack and brought his lightsaber up to block both their strikes. He somersaulted back to gain more room as the two rushed in. They were good, he had to admit, flowing as if one, as if they'd worked together for years instead of months.

But then if what his master had told him was true…then they had.

He managed a smile as Vance's lightsaber flew toward his head. He ducked and slashed up, Vance moving back so the blade sliced only his sleeve. "I'm disappointed," he stated. "You used to be so much better."

"Sorry, have we met before?" Vance asked even as he swung again. Bandon blocked it and kicked him back while using the other end of the blade to force Buffy back.

"You don't remember? I'm hurt." Bandon leapt out, swinging his legs in a whirlwind kick. One foot knocked Vance's arm aside, sending his lightsaber knocking to one side. The other hit him in the jaw, stunning him. Seeing the opening, Bandon lunged his saber in a stabbing motion toward the man's heart.

In a blur, Buffy's saber knocked his own blade down at the last moment. Bandon looked up to see her fist race at his face and saw stars as he was knocked back. He shook his head and was barely able to block Buffy's next strike. She kept up the attack, her blade a whirlwind of motion. Despite what he'd been told, Bandon was still thrown by how intense it was.

Buffy threw out her fist, Bandon stepping back to avoid the blow. At the last moment, Buffy opened her palm and a Force wave sent Bandon flowing back on the wall. He bounced off, stunned and saw Buffy grinning as she slashed her blade across his chest.

Bandon gasped in pain and staggered back. His armor had taken the burnt of the blow but he still felt the heat upon his flesh. He hissed, using his pain to fuel his anger and threw out his hand. Buffy leapt back and flipped as a blast of lightning flowed right under her. Landing on her feet, she rolled toward Bandon and kicked out, her boot landing on his kneecap.

The Sith screamed in pain as he felt his knee buckle. He still tried to block Buffy's blows but his own were slower. He could see Vance coming back in, his own lightsaber swinging down and tried to block the attack. Each of them were held back by one of his blades as Bandon drew his strength and rose up. With a howl, he got up and spun his blade around, driving Buffy and Vance back. The two ducked his swing and both lunged as one.

Bandon gasped in agony as the two lightsabers cut through his body. He felt his strength leave as the lethal blows took their measure. He knew he was about to die but there was at least one more duty he could fulfill for his Master. He let his mind call out through the Dark Side, to send out one last message…Then he slumped to the ground and lay still.

Bastila groaned as she got back up to her feet, rubbing her head. She stopped as she saw Bandon lying dead and Vance and Buffy standing over him. The male Jedi switched his lightsaber off and moved to Buffy. "Are you okay?"

She nodded as she gave him a quick hug. "I am, thanks." As if feeling Bastila's stare, they broke apart to face her. Canderous let out a groan as he revived as well. He glanced at Bandon's body and managed a smile. "Well…looks like you two have managed quite well."

"We did our best," Buffy said, looking at the body. "Both of us."

"You were a bigger force," Vance said.

"Hey, you managed a few big shots!" Buffy pointed out.

"Statement: Will one of you meatbags stop the mutual appreciation and help me up!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Buffy stretched and took a deep breath as she got out of the sub. The group piled out onto the dock where Wann was already waiting with some soldiers. "Did you find out what happened?" he quickly asked. "Are there survivors?"

**"**The construction you were doing down there woke something up," Canderous explained. "Something that wasn't very happy about it. It was a gigantic shark and it drove the Selkath on the base into frenzy. We had to defend ourselves. They became animals and killed your mercenary teams and most of the scientists."

"That's...that's horrible," Wann said, his face drawn. "The entire operation wasted by a disaster we could never in a thousand years foreseen. But what has happened to the facility itself? Was it damaged?"

"The station is likely a total loss. And the harvesting machine had to be destroyed," Buffy reported.

Wann threw up his hands. "No! That is terrible. That will set our work back years! It may even cost us the war. While I am glad that you were able to solve our problems, the cost may have ended up being too high." He shook his head and sighed. "But you have done your job and helped us in our time of need, and for that I thank you." As an obvious afterthought, he finally asked. "Oh, and did you end up finding your Star Map?"

"Yes," Vance said. "We found it."

"As you can see, by helping us, you helped yourself. Perhaps we can work together again in the future."

**"**Don't hold your breath," Canderous muttered as the group headed out of the Embassy.

They'd barely reached the courtyard outside the Embassy before they were surrounded by Selkath guards. "Oh, this is getting monotonous," Buffy complained.

"We have detected a number of underwater detonations coming from the vicinity of the Hrakert Rift," the lead Selkath officer stated. "You have been known to have asked questions about this, and our spy monitors in the Republic Embassy recorded your leaving in a submersible that descended to the Hrakert Rift. You will come with us immediately to answer for your actions, or we will take you by force!"

Vance glanced at Buffy. "How is it I've found myself getting arrested more times as a Jedi than I ever did during my smuggling days?"

"Chalk it up to the Force's wicked sense of irony," Buffy noted as the group was led away.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith, Carth and Juhani tried to keep their expressions level as they watched Jolee step up to the main podium before the judges. After giving them a quick bow of his head, the elder Jedi slowly turned to the secured podium where Sunry stood.

_"Arbiter,"_ Shelkar announced. "_Are you prepared to make your opening statement?"_

Jolee and Sunry stared at one another. The Jedi was expressionless, giving no indication what he felt. Sunry tried to be strong but the look of desperation and pleading was clear in his eyes. Jolee kept his gaze steady as the judges glanced at each other.

_"Arbiter,"_ Shelkar stated impatiently. "_Do you have an opening statement?"_

Jolee glanced down at the datapad held in his hands, his eyes shut. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of his box and headed toward the judges. "Your honors," he said in a grave tone. "I have come across evidence that I believe can settle this entire case easily." He held out the pad for them to study. Shelkar watched it and solemnly nodded. The recording of Sunry's guilt was passed around the judges as the man himself bowed his head and closed his eyes.

_"There can be no doubt of this man's guilt,"_ Shelkar stated. _"As such, there should be no delay in his punishment._" He paused and studied Jolee. _"Unless…his Arbiter will attempt to plead for some form of clemency."_

Jolee did his best to hide a small smile. He'd always suspected this Selkath judge had a good heart and that was now confirmed. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "Your Honors, I will not say that what he did was right. Either the murder or the…events that led to it. However, this woman was a Sith who was planning to use Sunry to ferret information from the Republic here on Manaan. In other words, she was committing espionage on your own world, which could have put yourselves in danger."

Jolee looked at Sunry, whose head was raised, a glimmer of hope in his tired eyes. "This man is a decorated hero," Jolee calmly stated. "I can never forget what he did. I will not condone what he did. But…" He licked his suddenly dry lips. "But perhaps…forgiveness may be possible."

Naleshekan glowered. _"Our laws are clear on this! He committed an act of cold-blooded murder! He should be punished and the Republic with him!"_

_"For the Sith?"_ Kota observed. _"The same Sith who attempted to use our own youth to take over our planet for themselves?"_

_"I am still not convinced…"_ Naleshekan began but Jhosa cut him off. _"We had made the decision then that the Sith would receive no more special treatment or protection from us."_

_"That decision came after the murder was committed,"_ Duula noted. He stroked his chin as he added. _"However, the Sith's actions do put a new light on this case. I have long felt that death for death may not be true justice."_

Naleshekan snorted. _"Not this again, Duula! This is not the time to debate our laws!"_

_"Why not? This man is old and infirmed. What good is it to take his life now?"_

Their debate continued for several minutes before Shelkar pounded his gavel on his table. _"Enough! This is our decision:"_

He turned to face Sunry. _"Sunry Gensbrem, you are found guilty of murder. Your life shall be spared but you are to be imprisoned for the rest of your natural life." _ He nodded to the guards, who surrounded Sunry. The old man bowed his head as they led him away. He paused to look at Jolee. He opened his mouth but one look at the Jedi's face and he shut it. He nodded, a mixture of understanding and even a bit of thanks.

The guards did give him one moment to give a sobbing Elora a strong embrace and a kiss before leading him away. Elora stared at Jolee and then walked out, tears running down. Jolee knew he couldn't follow her. All he could do was hope she'd get through this all right and not blame herself for what happened.

Carth, Juhani and Faith were all struck at how Jolee, for the first time, truly seemed his years as he slowly headed out toward the exit. "Should we…?" Faith began.

"Not yet," Carth told her softly. "I know what it's like to realize a friend isn't what you think he is." Faith nodded but stopped as they saw the next group of defendants being led in. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

All the judges let out small moans, groans and sighs as they saw Buffy, Vance, Bastila, Canderous and HK being led into the courtroom. "_Well, human," _Shelkar said. _"You find yourself in a most difficult situation. The Hrakert Rift is the most precious resource on Manaan, and anything that threatens it or the kolto it produces threatens our entire species."_

"_We do not tolerate threats to our neutrality, or existence, or our way of life," _Duula said.

Jhosa was in agreement. _"As much as we may admire your Republic, and your order in particular, you will have a hard time explaining your role in this incident adequately."_

Naleshekan glowered at the party. _"We have determined that you were responsible for the detonations that occurred near the Hrakert rift. We demand to know what happened down there."_

Duula crossed his long arms. _"If the Republic has broken its neutrality treaty with us, the repercussions shall be grave indeed."_

Shelkar held up his hands to quiet his colleagues down. _"What have you done to the Rift?"_

"The explosions were at a research station the Republic and Selkath authority set up there to study the ocean floor," Bastila said.

"_Research station?"_ Naleshekan argued. _"What are you talking about? Don't try to lie to us, human!"_

Shelkar held up a hand. _"We know of this facility."_

Naleshekan looked ready to choke. _"What?"_

Shelkar shot a glance to him _"It will be discussed later."_

"_This cannot be kept silent! The Council will..."_

Shelkar glared at him _"The Council will hear nothing of this! And you will keep your silence or be ejected from the court."_

Naleshekan still wanted to protest _"But, we cannot..."_

"_Silence_!"

"Looks like the right fin doesn't know what the left is doing," Buffy couldn't help noting under her breath.

Jhosa decided to continue with the questions. _"What has happened to this research station? What caused the explosions?"_

"Everyone on the station had been driven mad," Bastila explained. "I'm sorry to bring such bad news, but many Selkath are among the dead."

"_Mad?" _Jhosa was shocked._ "I find that hard to believe, human."_

Kota leaned over to her colleague. _"We did receive those transmissions just before the station went silent."_

Naleshekan stood up, head darting about the room in panic. _"Ask the human what happened!"_

Shelkar was a study in calm that even Jedi Masters would aspire to. _"Well, human, what drove all of the sentients down there mad?"_

"We can't be certain, but the Republic's machines woke up a giant firaxan shark...she may have been trying to protect herself and her brood. Her psychic call was perceived as a telepathic scream by the humans, but the Selkath reacted...violently. I'm...I'm sorry, but they attacked the other researchers as well as the rescue teams the Republic sent."

Naleshekan could hardly speak "_You accuse us of being to blame for this!"_

Shelkar's considerable patience was being tried. _"Calm yourself. We are more advanced than that." _

Kota was breathless. _"A giant firaxan? A mother firaxan? Could it be...?"_

Naleshekan looked at Kota with disbelief. _"Impossible! It is only a legend!"_

Jhosa was worried. _"But she said she killed it...didn't she?"_

Shelkar shared the worry, but gave an appearance of control. _"You killed this giant firaxan, human?"_

Vance shook his head. "No, I destroyed the machines in order to save her. That calmed the firaxan down, and she swam back to her lair."

"I even got close enough to touch her, and she made no move to attack," Buffy added. "She is sentient, your Honor. She knew what I was doing down there and spared our lives."

Shocked silence among the judges as they stared at the Jedi. One could hear a drop of water hit the floor in this room. Gone was the din of a few moments earlier.

Kota was smiling happily. _"But what if it was the life-bringer...the ancestor of our species...think of what this could mean!"_

Jhosa shook his head in wonderment. _"If it always laired there, then perhaps the kolto..."_

"_Enough! Off-worlders are not to hear of such things," _warned Shelkar.

"_But she says she saved it. She destroyed the Republic's machines to save it!"_ Kota's green eyes were wide and full of reverence.

Shelkar nodded _"This casts your actions in a whole new light, human." _He checked his terminal. _"Yes...that would be the only explanation..."_ He looked up again._ "We thank you for the destruction of the machinery and the saving of the mother firxan which, we believe, is the source of our kolto...or at least its guardian. We will not detain you any longer. While we cannot show our gratitude overtly, know that you have earned our respect. You may go."_

Buffy frowned. "Just like that? What about the kolto and the deal with the Republic?"

"_Those are our affairs, not yours," _Duula stated quickly

Shelkar nodded. _"That is true." _He leaned forward and his eyes looked as if they were pleading. _"If that concludes your business on Manaan, I hope you may be able to leave soon. Please, human, do not come before us again!"_

As the group filed out, the judges glanced at one another. _"If I may make a proposal,"_ Naleshekan spoke up. _"Should they invade the local swoop race facilities, destroy all the tracks, shoot up the bar and burn down the gaming houses…let us allow them to go free."_

Every judge raised their hand in agreement.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The most annoying part of space travel, Faith had found, was that it was damn hard to figure out what was day and what was night. Buffy had done her best to explain it to her but it had still taken Faith a while to get used to listening to her internal clock and not going by what it was like outside.

She was getting ready for bed, down to bra and her pants when there was a rapping at her door. She threw her shirt on before opening. She paused as she saw Carth standing on the other side, his face drawn. "Can I come in?" he asked.

She backed up as he entered and shut the door. For a moment, they just looked at each other until Carth cleared his throat. "I guess we should talk about it."

"I guess," Faith said. She brushed her hair back. "Carth, I'm not…good at relationships, believe me. "And I'm guessing you're still hurt because of…her."

"I was," Carth said. "I still am." He looked at her carefully. "But maybe…maybe you're right…maybe it is time I started to live my life more, instead of being obsessed with just revenge."

"Maybe," Faith allowed. "But I don't know if I'm the gal for it."

He held up his hands. "So now what? We just chalk it up to one drunken night and that's it?"

Faith crossed her arms and kept her voice steady. "Sounds safer. Let's face it, Carth, we've already got a ton of shit on our hands without throwing romance on it."

The soldier nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right," he solemnly intoned. He gazed at Faith and she gazed right back, neither moving an inch. Then they were in each other's arms, kissing and clawing at the other's clothing as they stumbled toward the nearby bed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of blade clashing on blade echoed inside the training area as Buffy and Vance circled each other. They had stripped down to loose clothing as they went at it, each trying to get an edge on the other. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen there was something else to this sparring that had not been there before. An extra edge, an energy, even a…passion that gave their moves an added fire.

Vance smiled as Buffy dodged one of his blows. "Your moves have improved," he noted.

She grinned. "I'm aware you've been watching." She tried a lunge but he leapt back and met her blow with a block of his saber. Both were smiling as they moved in, their sabers clashing, sweeping against each other, their arms raised high up and their bodies touching.

They stared at one another before Buffy kicked at the back of his knee. It buckled and he fell back, her on top of him. Their lightsabers fell from their grasps and turned off as they landed, Buffy pinning him down. "Gotcha."

With a surge of Force energy, Vance shoved her back and they rolled around, him on top. They both let out grunts while smiling and then their lips met.

They kissed for a long, hard moment before breaking apart. They stared at each other, both heaving for breath as it hit them what had happened. "I…shouldn't have…" Vance began.

"Why did you?" Buffy softly asked.

Vance licked his lips. "I…it's been…a long time."

"Me too," Buffy said as she stroked his face. "I'm tired of being alone…of having to put up with sacred duty and being a champion or a Jedi…" She moved him closer to her face. "I just…want to feel something else again…with you." She pulled him close as they kissed more. The heat of their sparring and the heat of the passion overcame them as they started to fumble with their clothing on the sparring room floor…

On the other end of the ship, Jolee leaned on a sealed bulkhead, lightly tossing Bastila's lightsaber in one hand. Juhani stood next to him, glancing at the door. Her enhanced hearing could pick up the sound of Bastila's fists pounding on it from inside her quarters. "She shall be quite upset when she gets out," she pointed out.

"Let her," Jolee barked. "What's happening is inevitable, even if she won't see it. You can't stop it. We won't let her do it."

Juhani shrugged. "I have no problems with that." She looked at him carefully. "But I cannot help but sense something ill may come of this."

Jolee smiled. "Ah, then it may be true love after all." They just stood back and did their best to drown out the sound of the Jedi on the other side of the door, who howled inside at the disaster this could create.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Saul Karath couldn't help but feel less tense whenever Lord Malak wasn't on the ship. It was like a dark cloud was lifted from the entire bridge and Karath could concentrate more on his duties. He was standing by the main windows, discussing a field report with one of his subordinates when an officer strode up. "Sir, we have just received a message from Lord Malak."

Karath instantly came alert and turned to the main. "What is it, Captain?"

The man was at attention as he spoke. "Lord Malak reports that Darth Bandon has failed. However, he does know where the _Ebon Hawk _crew is going next and wishes us to intercept."

Karath nodded. "I see. Prepare to move the ship. Did Lord Malak say anything else?"

"No, sir, the message was brief. But he did state that the attack on the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine is underway."

"Very good, Captain. Spread the word that we are changing course and have all troopers on standby." As the man saluted and left, Karath faced the wide screen before him. Somewhere in the distance, the Jedi Masters of Dantooine were facing a veritable hell that would raze the planet. And the crew of the _Ebon Hawk _were going to face a hell of their own soon.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**So that's all for this chapter. Next one is the one that KOTOR fans know is the most important part of the saga. But if you think you know what's going to happen…you may be surprised.**

**Next: Book VII: Leviathan. **


End file.
